Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Urging Senate Republicans To Join Democrats In Defending Small Businesses From President Trump’s Tariffs And Bring The Small Business Liberation Act To The Floor

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor to decry the damage that President Trump’s tariffs have caused small businesses, calling on Republicans to put Democrats’ legislation on the floor that exempts small businesses from the tariffs. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Just a few moments ago, I joined with some of 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've 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’s Main Street that’s 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 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.

As many know, this is national small business week. 35 million small 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 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. This is an idle celebration while small businesses are being smashed with tariffs, which doesn't make them happy.

In rural America, small businesses are 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% of businesses say 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, and it shouldn’t be now. It is a national priority.

But what do small businesses hear from Donald Trump? Well, you should’ve listened to him yesterday.

When asked yesterday if he’d consider relief for small businesses, the president waved it off. He said, “They’re not going to need it.” Utterly condescending. Utterly dismissive.

They’re 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’ve already lost their jobs.

He's 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 co-sponsoring – 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% of small businesses say 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's time for Senate Republicans to grow a backbone and defend small businesses from Donald Trump's tariffs.

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