Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer chimed in during Sen. Jeff Merkley’s ongoing speech to ask an extended question of the Oregon Democrat on the Senate floor. Schumer railed against President Trump for refusing to negotiate on the ongoing shutdown and health care issues.
Schumer accused the president of “spending all his time on eroding democracy, taking away our rights.”
“The people expect him not to go on a foreign trip, this president who fancies himself a king,” Schumer said, referring to the president’s upcoming trip to Asia. “But instead, to do the people’s business and help us, sit down with us, negotiate a way out of this health care crisis.”
The New York Democrat outlined how he and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries requested a meeting with the president to negotiate on the health insurance tax credits that are a top priority for the party.
“Jeffries and I asked him yesterday, we demanded really, he sit down and talk to us, and negotiate — not just talk to us — negotiate a serious approach to avoid all the devastating things that will occur,” Schumer said. “And he said four hours later, after conferring with Thune and Johnson, no, he wouldn’t. Well, that is a disgrace.”
Schumer said Mr. Trump “is the focal point of this health care crisis,” House Speaker Mike Johnson “is paralyzed because of the divisions in his caucus” and Senate Majority Leader John Thune “just goes along.”
“President Trump is the person who could get Republicans to pass a decent proposal,” Schumer said.
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