Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) held a press briefing on the last day of the Senate's summer legislative session.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Okay. Well, first, thank you for being here. Thanks for your good work in this recent part
00:09of our congressional session. And, you know, a few months, a few minutes ago, something
00:15very disappointing and stunning happened on the Senate floor. The vast majority of Republicans
00:23blocked a hugely bipartisan package that would have helped families, would have helped businesses,
00:29would have helped housing and helped communities hit by natural disasters, something the American
00:34people wanted. And once again, they say, well, why are they making us vote on this? Because
00:39this was bipartisan. Rare is the moment that the Senate Republicans are even to the right
00:47of the House Republicans, but it happened today. This bill was crafted in good part
00:53by one of the most conservative members of the Senate, the chairman of the Ways and Means
00:57Committee, Smith. It got 357 votes, only 70 against, but Republicans still had a vote
01:04against it. And it's sort of something they seem to be doing. Under orders from their
01:09candidate Trump, they want to block everything. So that's what they did on the border, the
01:15strong, tough bipartisan border bill we had. That's what they're doing today on the tax
01:20bill. That's what they're also doing on crypto and even on some of the AI regulations. The
01:26American people don't want that. That's not a way to help people. That's not a way to
01:30govern. To listen to Donald Trump and be totally political is not a way to win an election,
01:36Republicans, and that's why you're not doing very well right now. Okay. So just in sum,
01:47the Senate – today, the Senate Republicans boldly told the American people, we refuse
01:53to help you in 2024, and we want to be frank. Republicans voted no because of partisanship,
02:00not policy. The senior senator from Missouri said it to himself – said it to himself
02:07a few days ago. He said about this – he said this about Republican leadership. Quote,
02:13they're not interested in passing anything, clearly. Now, if getting things done in a
02:18bipartisan way was an Olympic event, today, Senate Republicans would not have gotten any
02:24medal – no gold, no silver, no bronze. Senate Republicans were handing out leaflets earlier
02:32this week saying how Republicans must not give in to a Democratic, quote, win before November.
02:40Well, Republicans, governing is not just about political wins. This was about making sure
02:48American families win, and today, because of Republicans, American families lost.
02:53Now, as for the summer, it's been a really busy and active summer in the U.S. Senate. Before the
03:00August work period begins, let me summarize the main takeaways. Earlier this week, we passed two
03:06of the most important updates in decades to federal laws protecting our kids, CASA and
03:12COPPA. This was bipartisan. Senate Republicans did the right thing here. But I've called now
03:19on the House to take these bills up and keep the momentum alive, to do right by the parents who
03:24worked so hard to get these bills done. It's a no-brainer. But unfortunately, this morning,
03:29House Republicans reported that they'll refuse to take these bills up. I hope – I pray – that
03:38these reports are not accurate. Since just one week ago, Speaker Johnson said he'd like to get
03:44CASA done. Letting CASA and COPPA collect dust in the House would be an awful mistake and a gut
03:49punch – a gut punch – to the brave, wonderful parents who have worked so hard to reach this
03:55point. These parents, the kids across America, deserve better. I hope House Republicans swiftly
04:02change course and take up CASA, take up COPPA. If Speaker Johnson put them on the floor,
04:08they would pass, my guess is, with overwhelming bipartisan majorities.
04:13So you've got to wonder, why can't Republicans get on the same page? We see an overwhelming
04:19majority of Republicans, including leadership, voting for a tax bill in the House, but in the
04:23Senate, a dismal showing. And meanwhile, we have almost every single Senate Republican voting yes
04:28on CASA and COPPA, and then the House Republican leadership kills it. Both of these bills – tax
04:35bill, CASA and COPPA – help kids and families. Both of these bills had overwhelming support from
04:43Republicans and the American people. What is going on? Why can't Republicans get on the same page?
04:50And it shows the American people that the Republicans' bellwether isn't helping the
05:00American people. It's helping Donald Trump and the hard right achieve their unpopular agenda.
05:06We saw this also at the start of June going into July, when Democrats held votes to codify the
05:13right to abortion, contraception, and IVF into law. All across the country, we're seeing the
05:20horrible Dobbs decision not only rip away a woman's right to choose, but it's opening the
05:25floodgates for draconian, cruel bans on women's choice from one end of America to the other.
05:32Democrats are clear where we stand. We all voted to secure these rights, protect women,
05:38protect families. But unfortunately for the American people, Republicans showed us where
05:44they stand, and we know that if given the chance, they would vote for a nationwide abortion ban.
05:50So as we turn to August, Democrats are going to be going to their home states talking about
05:57the contrast between the two parties. It's a glaring contrast and one we're happy to talk
06:03about and bring home to the American people. We're not just going to be talking about the
06:10accomplishments of this summer in this year, but implementation of the massive accomplishments of
06:16the last Congress. Democrats have routinely fought and delivered for the American people,
06:21and don't take my word for it, look at the facts. Not just the bills we pass, but what it means,
06:26what that means in every state across the country. From big projects, one of the best projects Nevada
06:32has wanted for for years, high-speed rail between California, between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
06:38Bridges that communities have been longing for. The Spence Bridge connecting Ohio and Kentucky,
06:45and the Blatnik Bridge connecting Wisconsin and Minnesota are just two. And rural broadband.
06:50Our candidates, our senators are going in rural counties and saying, for the first time you're
06:56going to get broadband. We put it in the BIF bill. These counties desperately need it. You know,
07:02Roosevelt said in the 1930s, electricity was a necessity, created the REA, Rural Electrification
07:09Agency, and brought electricity to rural areas. Well, broadband is just as big a necessity in the
07:1521st century, and rural counties from one end of this country to the other are now getting it.
07:20It helps telemedicine get better health care. It helps their schools better education. It helps
07:25bring small businesses there. And you know, in our states, if you talk about it nationally, it doesn't
07:31have the same impact. I'm building a whole lot of bridges in the country. But when you go to your
07:36state and talk about a specific bridge, or a specific rural county that's getting broadband,
07:40it matters. And that's why our candidates, our senators, are ahead in the polls in just about
07:48every single race in the battleground areas. Even in my state, the Gateway Tunnel, but also smaller
07:57and more meaningful projects, like rehabbing the dilapidated Bridge Street in Cornwall, New York,
08:01into a usable park. The list goes on and on. Americans are seeing that Democrats are producing
08:10in community after community. Republicans are playing political games. We welcome, welcome
08:15the contrast. Questions? Yes. So on the No Kings Act, is the plan to bring that bill up under
08:23unanimous consent, or to have an up and down vote on it? And when can we expect that to happen?
08:28Okay, we are looking at all kinds. Look, let me take a big picture step here. The Supreme Court
08:34is a morass. It's an ethical morass, and it's a substantive morass. It's an ethical morass,
08:41as we've seen what's happened. Multi, multi-billionaires from the right wing giving
08:48gifts of millions of dollars total to Supreme Court justices. At the same time, these right-wing
08:54billionaires are funding legal suits to go to that Supreme Court. Who would have thought? And I have
09:00to say, Chief Justice Roberts is derelict in his responsibility. He should be cleaning this up.
09:06He's not, and that's why we in Congress have an obligation to do it. And then it's a substantive
09:11morass. Constantly moving to the hard mega right. Taking away people's rights away. Taking away
09:19rights away from everybody. Taking away a woman's right to choose. Siding with the big special
09:24interests. And even violating our democracy with the ridiculous, awful decision that presidents
09:31are kings. That if they do something they think is, is within, is official, that they can do, as
09:38Nixon said, whatever they want. So we are going to, we have 38 co-sponsors. I just introduced the
09:43bill a few minutes ago, or an hour ago, on the floor. And we will be pursuing the best way to
09:49get that done. It's very important to us, and I believe the American people are with us all the
09:53way. Okay, yes, woman in the back there.
09:57Can I, um, obviously you guys have five weeks of recess, but looking ahead to September, there will only be a couple weeks in session before, um...
10:03Don't cut us short. Three.
10:05Three weeks before a government funding deadline hits, are you confident that you can, uh, avert a shutdown, and what other priorities do you have?
10:13Look, it's going to take bipartisanship to avert a shutdown, as it always does.
10:18In the Senate, we're working on bipartisan bills. I, I think they passed three or four more bills
10:23today in the Senate, uh, um, Approves Committee. Democrat and Republican, uh, Chair Murray,
10:31Ranking Member Collins working together. Contrast that to the House, where they can't pass anything
10:36bipartisan. They can't even pass some of the bills with partisan majorities, and it's filled
10:40with poison pills. So we're going to have to work hard, but I'm confident if Speaker Johnson
10:45learns the lessons of the past few times, and works in a bipartisan way, we can avoid a shutdown.
10:51Okay, go ahead, Manu.
10:53Um, Trump won Montana by about 16 points in 2020. He won Ohio by about eight points.
11:00Do you have any concerns about Kamala Harris's more liberal politics dragging down
11:05Tester and Brown?
11:06There is excitement from one end of the country to the other about the Democratic ticket, and Tester
11:14and Brown and our Senators, the people of those states know Tester fights for Montana, regardless
11:20of party. Brown fights for Ohio, regardless of party. And that's why they're doing so well in
11:26those states, despite the lead that Trump has. I am confident that they are going to win their seats,
11:33because they are standing, and they're willing to break with the Democratic Party when they find
11:38the need to do it, to represent their states. But I am confident we're going to win those seats.
11:43I'm confident we are going to keep the Senate. You know, when we had this break two years ago,
11:48you all said to me, oh, you're going to lose four or five seats. Look at the map.
11:51I said, we're going to break even and maybe pick up a seat.
11:54Folks, we're going to break even and maybe pick up a seat or two. Yes.
11:59Speaking of Sherrod Brown, one of his top priorities is the Rail Safety Act.
12:03Do you really think that J.D. Vance, as the vice presidential nominee, can't get 10 Republican votes?
12:07Well, you know, I asked J.D. Vance about four times, this is before he was vice president,
12:12to give me 10 names of Republicans, and we need a few more than 10 if we have an absence here or
12:16there, but to give me 10 names of Republicans who would vote for the bill. He couldn't.
12:22Now he's vice president nominee. Now he's the vice president nominee. I have a feeling the
12:28American people are not going to be very confident of him as vice president. And if God forbid,
12:33you know, well, I would say I have a feeling that if Trump could no longer serve, J.D. Vance is one
12:41of the last people Americans would want to see serve as president. But let me just say this.
12:47If he can show us that it's a bill we want to pass, it's a good bill. And if he can show us
12:52that there are 10 votes now, maybe that his vice president's changed, we'll get the bill done.
12:57We may need a time limit. We don't want to take two weeks. We can't with three weeks left.
13:03But so far, lead Republicans are blocking it. John Thune doesn't want to have the two people on the
13:09trains, which are very important. Other people are blocking it. But show us the 10 votes and
13:14we'll get it done. Yes. If you do keep the majority and you are a majority leader for
13:19another two years, what's at the top of your agenda in the first hundred days?
13:23Well, we'll have you know, we'll have to discuss it. But things like democracy,
13:27things like passing the kinds of tax bills we're looking at that help families and the child tax
13:32credit are important. Doing more for clean energy, doing more for transportation and education
13:40are really, really important things to us. There are many different things we will do.
13:45But if you look, the last time Democrats had all three places that deal with legislation,
13:50the president, the House and the Senate, we had, you know, we passed more good legislation than
13:56we have in decades. If you look at what we did there, you'll see us do many things in that regard
14:01in the next, in the next Congress, should we have the House, Senate and presidency,
14:06which I believe we will have. Yes.
14:19Well, let me just say this. I am hopeful that Republicans, when they go home,
14:22are going to feel the heat and maybe come back and ask, you know, we asked for months.
14:28He people ask, why is it coming up this week? Well, we asked for months for Crapo,
14:33ranking member, Michael Crapo, to tell us what changes they wanted, how we could make, you know,
14:39we are, we are a party that's willing to get everything things done if we can't get everything
14:44we want done. But we heard nothing other than they didn't want to pass it. So I'm hopeful still that
14:49it won't be dead that I'm hopeful we can get it done. I'm hopeful they will come back and stop
14:53their intransigent position, that they're not going to do anything because Donald Trump doesn't
14:57want to see any accomplishments here. As for next year, if we get the majority, one of the things we
15:04do is undo those real tax cuts to the very wealthy and to the big corporations that Trump did,
15:11and instead direct the tax breaks to average working families in America who make below
15:16$400,000. His bill favored the very, very wealthy. And after they passed it, you remember,
15:21our messaging was so strong up to 2018, they couldn't even talk about it in the elections.
15:26Okay, one more. Yes.
15:29Leader Schumer, thank you. On appropriations, it looks like there's going to be a continuing
15:33resolution. And many Republicans have said that they want a long continuing resolution
15:38past the inauguration day, so that if Republicans win, they can impose more conservative policy
15:44changes. How long do you want the CR to be? And on the question of appropriations as well,
15:49many of your colleagues have said they want to spend more on defense and non-defense above
15:54the debt ceiling caps of last year. Do you think it's a good idea to break those caps?
15:58Well, we have a good bipartisan agreement in the Senate, which does go above last year's to some
16:05extent on both defense and non-defense. It's something I would be supportive of. We'll see
16:09what happens in the negotiations. And as for the timing, let's wait for the negotiations to occur.
16:15Okay. Yes.
16:16Yesterday, former President Trump made some racist remarks about Vice President Harris's
16:22identity. Are you concerned that as your colleagues on the other side on the campaign trail,
16:28that they'll adopt some of those questions about Kamala Harris's identity? And what
16:32do you think that it says?
16:33Well, I think my Republican colleagues are embarrassed. I had one senior Republican
16:38colleague say to me this morning, I guess now you're going to win the election after
16:41we heard Trump last night. He said that. And let me say this, the lower Trump gets in the polls,
16:49the more unhinged he gets. The American people will be able to see that. Thank you, everybody.
16:54One more question on you. Will you attend the RTCA dinner?