Scalise: Chuck Schumer Must Stop Inflicting Pain on the American People
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.) to discuss the need for Democrats to put their personal hatred of President Trump aside and end the pain they've inflicted on the American people by shutting down the government. Leader Scalise also touted President Trump’s leadership in bringing peace through strength to the Middle East.
Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise's full remarks.
Excerpts from Leader Scalise's remarks:
On the consequences of the Democrats' shutdown on Americans:
“It just shows you the real cost of a government shutdown that Chuck Schumer has imposed on the country. We hear over and over these stories, and we're hearing more of them every day now that we're in the [ninth] day of this shutdown, the pain that is being inflicted on real people. I did a town hall meeting last night with thousands of people on the call, and a number of people talked about the problems they're experiencing, seniors that want to make sure their social security checks are going to be delivered. Obviously, families of military personnel, we know those stories. We hear those stories. And what does Chuck Schumer say? I read you the quote yesterday of a senator just a few days ago who said, ‘The point of this shutdown is not just suffering for suffering's sake, but to make a point.’ That was a different senator. Then yesterday, Chuck Schumer, of course, says, ‘Every day this gets better for us.’ You've got to ask yourself, if you're Chuck Schumer and a good day for you is defined by how much suffering you can impose on other people, including our men and women in uniform, maybe you need to look in the mirror and check yourself at the door and wonder what it is you're up here trying to accomplish.
“Is that really why Chuck Schumer ran for office? To inflict pain on other people so that he can have a good day, a better day for himself? When that is your measuring stick for a good day is how much pain you're inflicting on other American families, you have lost your way. And yet they vote over and over again to keep the government shut down while trying to talk about other issues. We can be talking about those other issues without inflicting pain on people. We can be debating our differences, as President Trump said he wants to do, by opening the government back up again. And by the way, once we get the government back open again, if Democrats ever come to their senses, we still have a lot of differences to resolve. Those differences don't just get resolved tomorrow. November 21st gets closer every single day, too. And then they're going to try to hold the American people hostage again on that deadline for some other unrelated issue so that they can inflict more pain on the American people. But don't worry, Chuck Schumer will be having a good day if that pain is going to be inflicted on others.”
On Democrats’ inability to put hatred of President Trump aside to protect their citizens:
“Every day they wake up and they just want to fight Donald Trump. It doesn't matter what it is he wants to do. He wants to keep communities safe. They're going to fight him on it. He wants to keep the government open. They're going to fight him on it. President Trump wants to make sure our troops are paid. Chuck Schumer wants to fight him on it and talk about how good of a day it is for Chuck Schumer when that happens.”
On the need for Senate Democrats to do the right thing and reopen the government:
“Their party has lost their way, and it's not too late to come back. There will be other votes. Hopefully, we get five more Democrat senators that come to their senses and stop inflicting this pain on the American people. It's causing real, real harm on families. Hopefully, they stop worrying about what that measuring stick is that says they have a good day only when the American people are having a bad day. Stop inflicting pain on the American people, Chuck Schumer, and open the government up. End this madness.”
On President Trump’s leadership:
“Thank goodness we have a President in the Oval Office who continues to stay focused on the job he was elected to do by the American people. Speaker Johnson just pointed out how critically important that job President Trump is doing. As we marked the two-year anniversary of the horrible Hamas attacks on Israel, President Trump is brokering a release of all the remaining hostages so that those families can finally get closure. Hopefully, some are still alive. We know, sadly, some are not. But those families want to have that resolved. They want to see their loved ones come home. President Trump has worked tirelessly – he said he would work tirelessly, and he continues to deliver for the American people. He continues to lead on the world stage and stand up to the bullies around the world. He continues to fight for American families who are counting on him. Then you look at what he has to fight against.”