U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY):
"President Trump’s speech had an air of unreality because what he said tonight was so different than how he has governed in the first 40 days. He’s proposed nothing on trade or infrastructure, which might help working families; and his budget seems to cut education and medical research, which he talked about improving. The President is simply using populist rhetoric to cloak his hard right, anti-middle class agenda. The American people don’t want words, they want actions that help them."
Democratic U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY):
“President Trump made it clear in his speech tonight that many of his top priorities are still severely out of touch with our values in New York. I wanted to hear him outline a real plan to keep good-paying jobs in New York, but instead we heard more of the same talk about lowering taxes for rich corporations, building an expensive border wall, and gutting the Affordable Care Act that millions of Americans now rely on. These policies will not raise wages or create good-paying jobs for workers in New York.
“President Trump also acknowledged our urgent need for paid leave, and I encourage him to support my bill, the FAMILY Act, which would create a national paid leave plan for every American who works.”
Independent U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (VT):
Democratic U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (VT):
"It’s a long speech, to say so little. Once again, President Trump seems intent not on addressing the entire nation, but his most ardent followers. Another speech, with some gestures toward unity, and another ‘reset.’ Yet nothing seems to change. President Trump needs to respect all of the American people he represents, including those who disagree with him. He needs to work, with at least a hint of humility, to unite our country, and not to further divide it.
No, President Trump did not inherit a ‘mess.’ Unemployment is at 4.6 percent, the economy added more than 15 million private sector jobs in the last six years, and inflation is below 2 percent. In fact, President Trump’s White House is generating chaos, not progress, and certainly not the reform that he promised.
Meanwhile Americans are concerned about losing their health insurance and about losing protections for our clean air and water. Just this week, the Justice Department has begun rolling back the Department’s longstanding defense of Americans’ voting rights.
The Appropriations Committee is where we translate priorities into reality. What we’ve seen so far about the President’s budget priorities is deeply disturbing. We see grossly unbalanced priorities, in which the Pentagon would be given tens of billions of dollars, at the cost of programs that help working Americans, and U.S. taxpayers would be asked to pay tens of billions of dollars more for the border wall that candidate Donald Trump had promised would not come out of taxpayers’ wallets. There even is an indication that the President will propose slashing the State Department’s budget by more than a third. As Defense Secretary Mattis said just a few years ago, if the State Department’s budget is cut, ‘then I need to buy more ammunition.’ As Republicans and Democrats alike have pointed out, such devastating cuts would only weaken our leadership and embolden our adversaries.
It is tempting for leaders to promote and appeal to fear, instead of appealing to the best in us. The American people expect their leaders to respect America’s values and democratic institutions. That includes the First Amendment and the press freedom that is a foundational strength under our Constitution. Americans yearn for leadership that bridges our divisions, tackles our challenges, and advances our opportunities to make life better for hardworking middle class families, and for all Americans."
Democratic U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (CT):
“This speech was mostly vague platitudes, vacuous assurances, and appeals to fear. The nation needs a leader with a real vision for our future – not empty promises. We deserve more than an Administration that pledges unity, then governs by fear.”
Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (CT):
"President Trump offered nothing new tonight. He offered no new ideas. He offered no new legislation to fulfill his endless promises. He offered no new explanations for all the things that have gone wrong during the first month of his administration. His tone tonight was more sober than usual, but what a low bar we have set for the presidency when a speech is considered a success when the Commander-in-Chief doesn't do something truly stunning or embarrassing. I remain ready to work with the President if he is truly sincere about working with Democrats on potential bipartisan initiatives like infrastructure investment and trade adjustment, but I still haven't seen any real, meaningful overtures to make that happen."
Democratic U.S. Senator Edward Markey (MA):
"I was honored to be joined by refugee, Muslim, athlete and Boston public school teacher Said Ahmed. Said fled violence in Somalia as a child and now dedicates every day of his life to helping students and others in his community maximize their abilities. Said is an inspiration, and I am proud to have had him join me at tonight’s presidential address.
Tonight, instead of an address about the promise of a unified nation, President Trump gave the American people a list of misguided campaign promises. We cannot balance our budget on the backs of working families. We cannot undermine public education and repeal the Affordable Care Act and expect our nation to prosper. We cannot cut foreign aid and funding for diplomacy and ensure our national security. We cannot pursue peace while calling for a new nuclear arms race with Russia. We cannot rebuild our middle class with massive tax giveaways for the wealthy and special interests.
President Trump said he wants to promote clean air and water, but he has ordered drastic budget cuts to the EPA and today ordered the roll back of the Clean Water Rule. We need the President to commit to a clean energy economy that creates jobs and ensures American climate leadership around the world.
Building a wall is not comprehensive immigration reform. We need a national strategy to bring the millions of hard-working immigrants out of the shadows so that families don’t live in fear of raids and deportation. The President may have told us to ‘set free the dreams of our people”, but he should remember that our people includes immigrants, refugees, the LBGTQ community, and the working class.
I agree with President Trump that we must put trivial fights behind us. I will seek consensus whenever possible – on infrastructure, on the opioid crisis, on prescription drug prices – but I will never compromise on our core democratic principles. I intend to hold the President accountable every day and fight to ensure that the United States is a place where all Americans can succeed."
Democratic Representative Nita Lowey (NY-17):
“President Trump’s speech tonight fell short on the positive, inclusive agenda that would unite our nation and on solutions to America’s most pressing challenges.
“While the President acknowledged the 100 anti-Semitic bomb threats made against over 60 Jewish Community Centers and schools across the country, including two in Westchester, it is not enough. He must show a real commitment to protecting and defending the dignity and humanity of Americans of all faiths, backgrounds, and identities with swift and strong action.
“The President made promises we already know he can’t keep.
“To expand access and make health care even more affordable, we need to expand on the progress of the Affordable Care Act. Americans like my guest tonight, a college student with Crohn’s disease who fears he won’t be able to find or afford health care and stay healthy enough to hold down a job in a few years, are rightfully worried. The only thing Republicans seem to agree on when it comes to the ACA is repealing it, without a plan to address the chaos that would create.
“The President can’t protect working families with his proposal to dramatically increase military spending at the expense of programs working Americans rely on to survive and get ahead. Let me be clear: our national defense is paramount, and we need to support our women and men in uniform during and after their service. But our success also depends on ensuring that children have access to the education they need to compete in a 21st century economy, that all Americans receive quality, affordable health care, that we invest in creating good jobs and training Americans to fill them, that families across the United States have access to clean water and air.
“Our security and our economy rely on strong leadership in the international community that is undermined by policies like the President’s unconstitutional Muslim ban and his $21 billion dollar border wall. These valuable federal dollars could instead be invested in policies proven to keep our communities secure. Cutting foreign aid would also undermine stability around the world, and even military experts agree that’s a bad strategy.
“The American people deserve consistent leadership from their President, grounded in dignity and respect for all people. President Trump has yet to demonstrate that he understands the solemn responsibility of his job.”
Democratic Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18):
"If you want to work together to rebuild our transportation and infrastructure systems, fight the heroin epidemic, or create good-paying jobs for my neighbors in the Hudson Valley - I'm all for it. Unfortunately actions speak louder than words and the clumsy and ill-conceived actions President Trump has taken so far, which have undermined our constitution, make it very difficult to work with him. But I'll stay at it."
Republican Representative John Faso (NY-19):
“President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress today laid out a bold agenda of tax relief, national security strength and job creation through increased economic growth. I am optimistic that the Congress will work with the president on policies where we agree, and partner in a bipartisan way to deliver results for New Yorkers and all Americans.”
Democratic Representative Paul Tonko (NY-20):
“President Trump has been in office for 40 days and has nothing to show for it that will grow our economy and make us safer. His policies are being rejected day after day by federal judges, scientists, business leaders, and our American public. He is putting the country on the wrong track. While he is never short on bluster, our presidents actions reveal the desperation of an individual who is not up to the task of leading our great country. Instead he has thrown up his hands and handed power to Steve Bannon and his special interest agenda.
"I am proud to see communities all across New York’s capital region, standing up to demand accountability from our President and from the Republican leaders in the House of Representatives and in the United States Senate. I will continue to look for real bipartisan solutions that address our nation’s most pressing needs, including working to fix our public water systems, supporting clean energy, and helping those who have been trapped by drug addiction.”
Republican Representative Elise Stefanik (NY-21):
“Tonight the President laid out his agenda for Congress and for the American people, and I look forward to working with his Administration and my colleagues in the House on some of the most pressing issues facing our country, and facing families across our district.
“My top priority in Congress is growing our economy and helping create good paying jobs for North Country families, which is why I am pleased that we are working now to pave the way for comprehensive tax and regulatory reform. Businesses across our district tell me all the time about the need to remove the burdens Washington imposes on them so that they can grow, and I look forward to continuing to work on these top priority items.
“We also must create a 21st century healthcare system that lowers costs for families and businesses in our district. Concerns with the Affordable Care Act are some of the most frequently raised issues I hear about in my stops and meetings with constituents across the district, and it’s time to replace this law with commonsense reforms to increase access to affordable care and lower costs.
“As the Chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, I will be working with my colleagues to reverse the military sequester and invest in our readiness capabilities so that we can tackle threats facing our nation across the globe.
“Additionally, I will work with the Administration this year on many of my priority items for our district, including expanding access to broadband, pursuing policies that help North Country farmers, and reforming our VA system to help ensure our heroes get the care they need and deserve.
“I was pleased to be joined by Shaun Gilliland, Town Supervisor of Willsboro, as my guest in the Chamber for tonight’s address. I thank President Trump for delivering his remarks to a joint session of Congress and I look forward to working my hardest on bipartisan solutions that will help families across our district.”
Democratic Representative Elizabeth Esty (CT-5):
“The values President Trump talked about in his speech tonight – ideas like standing up to special interests, securing our national defense, and expanding economic opportunity – were totally at odds with the divisive and damaging policies he has pursued and the appointments he has made since taking office. I stand ready to work with my colleagues in Congress and the new Administration on areas of genuine shared interest. But the words tonight must be understood in the context of the actions the President has taken in the last five weeks and will be judged by the actions he takes going forward.”