TRANSCRIPT: Speaking To Reporters, Leader Schumer Discusses Republican Chaos And Challenges Passing “Big, Ugly Bill”

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke to press about Republican delays and Senate Democrats’ amendments to the “Big, Ugly Bill.” Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks:

Leader Schumer: I think they're stalling. They don't have a bill. They're delaying. They're stalling. They're cutting a lot of backroom deals. They got a lot of members who were promised things that they may not be able to deliver on. And so they're just stalling. But we're just pushing forward amendment after amendment. They don't like these amendments. The public is on our side in almost every amendment we do.

Reporter: But if you think that they don't have a bill, why not stop offering amendments and then force them to actually finish the vote-a-rama?

Schumer: Why would we want to stop offering amendments when they show the contrast between the parties which the public is on our side? We want to do as many amendments as we can.

Reporter: But if the argument is that they aren't ready, then don't you want to force them to have to vote?

Schumer: We're ready. We're more than ready. We can't force them to have a vote. They're the ones who determine the vote, but we can put amendment after amendment after amendment. And as long as they're stalling, as long as their act isn’t together, we're going to keep doing it.

Reporter: How many more amendments is that?

Schumer: We're going to keep showing in every way how bad this bill is. There are many ways and we are showing a lot of them.

Reporter: Do you think this goes into tomorrow?

Schumer: Ask Mr. Thune. He’s the one having the trouble.

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