TRANSCRIPT: Leader Schumer Remarks At Press Conference On Democrats’ Agenda To Lower Costs For American Families
Washington, D.C. – Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke about Democrats’ focus on lowering the costs of groceries, housing, and health care amid the Republican affordability crisis and Donald Trump’s reckless military adventurism. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:
Democrats are going to make health care and other high costs, the high cost of living, the number one issue for all of 2026. The average American family, there are millions of them discussing this right now: how are we going to pay the bills? Do I have to put aside my retirement to pay for my higher health care costs? What am I going to do with the higher bills that I'm facing? And every day Americans are saying to their elected officials, “do something about it!”
Unfortunately, our Republican friends have stood in the way of doing something about it – whether it's electric costs, health care costs, housing costs, tariffs, you name it. Yesterday, we Democrats in the Senate had a great forum to talk about housing costs. And then, in the weeks ahead, we'll be talking about the cost of groceries; the cost of electricity; the cost of goods that tariffs have increased; and the cost of childcare. And we will be relentless on focusing on this issue. Relentless. This is what the American people are demanding of us. And here the Republicans are in their bubble.
The contrast of what's going on today in the House and the Senate is glaring. In the House, led by Leader Jeffries, Democrats are trying to extend the [ACA tax] credits for three years to reduce health care costs. In the Senate, we Democrats are fighting to prevent military adventurism in Venezuela and other countries and endless wars. Donald Trump said, last night in his interview with the New York Times, it could take years to solve the problem in Venezuela. That is not what Americans want. So, Democrats in the House and Senate are focusing on lowering your costs, dealing with affordability. Republicans led by Donald Trump seem to be focused, not seem to be, are focused on spending our treasure and, God forbid, lives, in military adventurism overseas. Again, we are focused on lowering people's costs. We believe that's what the American people want us to do.
And I hope today there will be more Republicans joining [Jeffries]. And Republicans in the Senate should listen to the American people, stop this military adventurism by voting for the War Powers Act, which could stop future actions in Venezuela without congressional approval.
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