Senate · NY

Charles Ellis Schumer

D · NYAge 75· Mainstream Democrat / institutional leader

Chuck Schumer has represented New York in the U.S. Senate since January 1999, serving five consecutive terms. He served as Senate Majority Leader from January 2021 to January 2025 — a period that included the American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, CHIPS and Science Act, Inflation Reduction Act, Respect for Marriage Act, and PACT Act. He stepped down to Minority Leader in January 2025. His leadership tenure was the most legislatively productive Democratic Senate Majority since the early Obama administration.

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The Featured Four

Promises that define the record.

Four promises chosen to span how voters across the political spectrum view this politician's record.

KeptInfrastructurePROMISE #1

Pass major infrastructure investment.

Verdict reasoning

As Senate Majority Leader, Schumer shepherded the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58) to passage on November 15, 2021. Senate vote 69-30 (19 Republicans + 50 Democrats YES). The act authorized $1.2 trillion total (~$550B in new spending beyond baseline), making it the largest infrastructure investment since the Eisenhower Interstate program.

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The Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was the first major legislative win of Schumer's Majority Leader tenure and the largest single infrastructure investment in decades. The path: a bipartisan group of 21 senators (Gang of 21, including Sinema, Manchin, Romney, Portman, Murkowski, Collins, and others) negotiated the framework starting June 2021. The Senate passed the bill August 10, 2021 by 69-30 vote. The House passed it on November 5, 2021. Biden signed on November 15, 2021. The package included: - $110B for roads, bridges, and major projects - $66B for passenger and freight rail (largest U.S. rail investment since Amtrak's creation) - $65B for broadband expansion (BEAD program) - $55B for clean drinking water and lead pipe replacement - $39B for public transit modernization - $25B for airports - $17B for ports and waterways - $7.5B for EV charging infrastructure - $7.5B for low- and no-emission buses Stakes that infrastructure-investment advocates foreground: - **The American Society of Civil Engineers** rated U.S. infrastructure at C- in 2021, citing $2.6 trillion in unfunded maintenance and modernization needs - **Bridge condition**: approximately 42% of U.S. bridges were 50+ years old in 2021; over 7% were classified as 'structurally deficient' - **Broadband gap**: approximately 30 million Americans lacked broadband access pre-IIJA; BEAD funding targets full coverage by 2030 - **Lead pipes**: estimated 9 million homes still receive water through lead service lines; IIJA funds replacement Stakes that infrastructure-skeptic advocates foreground: - The $1.2T total included approximately $650B in baseline-already-authorized spending; the 'new' spending was $550B - Some of the funded projects had been considered for decades and represent recurring problems with project delivery, not just funding - The CBO scored the bill as adding approximately $250B to the deficit over 10 years on a static basis - Implementation pace through 2024 has been slower than initial projections in several major program areas The verdict KEPT scores Schumer's promise to pass major infrastructure investment against the actual passage and signing of the IIJA. The size, scope, and bipartisan vote are documented. The substantive policy outcomes (broadband access, bridge replacement, transit improvements) will play out over the 5-10 year implementation window.

BrokenReproductive RightsPROMISE #2

Codify Roe v. Wade abortion protections.

Verdict reasoning

After the Dobbs decision (June 24, 2022) overturning Roe v. Wade, Schumer brought the Women's Health Protection Act to a Senate cloture vote on May 11, 2022 (vote was on the eve of the Dobbs decision). The cloture motion failed 49-51 — Senator Manchin (D-WV) joined all 50 Republicans against. The bill did not advance. A subsequent attempt also failed cloture. Senate-passed codification of abortion rights did not occur during Schumer's Majority Leader tenure. Per the obstruction-aware rule, the obstruction was a combination of Republican filibuster and one same-caucus defection (Manchin). Schumer's own vote was YES on every cloture attempt; the outcome did not occur.

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The Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA) was the Senate-side codification of Roe-style abortion protections. Schumer brought it to the floor twice during his Majority Leader tenure. The first cloture vote (May 11, 2022) came after the leaked draft Dobbs opinion but before the official ruling. The vote failed 49-51. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) voted NO, joining all 50 Republicans. The Senate's 60-vote cloture requirement meant 51 Republicans-plus-Manchin was sufficient to block. The Supreme Court issued its official Dobbs decision on June 24, 2022, overturning Roe v. Wade. Schumer brought the WHPA to a second cloture vote in 2023; it failed similarly. The filibuster carve-out alternative: in January 2022, Schumer brought a vote on a one-time filibuster carve-out specifically for voting-rights legislation (a procedurally similar approach could have been applied to abortion). The carve-out failed 48-52 — Senators Manchin and Sinema joined all 50 Republicans against. After this vote, the filibuster-carve-out path for any priority Democratic legislation was effectively closed for the remainder of the 117th Congress. Stakes that abortion-rights advocates foreground: - **Approximately 36 million American women of reproductive age** now live in states with abortion restrictions enacted post-Dobbs - **14 states have near-total abortion bans** as of 2024 - **Approximately 171,000 women traveled out of state for abortions** in the year following Dobbs (Guttmacher #WeCount) - The Kate Cox case in Texas (December 2023) and similar cases have documented pregnancy-related medical emergencies delayed by state-law ambiguity Stakes that pro-life advocates foreground: - **For 49 years, pro-life advocates argued that Roe was decided wrongly** on constitutional grounds — the Dobbs majority endorsed this view - Post-Dobbs state restrictions have reduced annual U.S. abortions by an estimated 50,000-100,000 per year - Returning abortion to state legislatures is consistent with long-stated federalism arguments - Multiple state-level ballot measures (Kansas 2022, Michigan 2022, Ohio 2023) have produced varied outcomes, suggesting voters can resolve the issue democratically The verdict BROKEN reflects: the promised outcome (federal codification of Roe-equivalent protections) did not occur during Schumer's Majority Leader tenure. The obstruction was Republican filibuster (49-51 against cloture) plus one Democratic defector (Manchin). Schumer's procedural options — the standard cloture vote and the filibuster carve-out — were exhausted; both failed. The outcome standard is applied uniformly across the site.

KeptHealthcarePROMISE #3

Reduce prescription drug prices / Medicare negotiation authority.

Verdict reasoning

The Inflation Reduction Act (P.L. 117-169, signed August 16, 2022) authorized Medicare to negotiate prices on a defined list of high-cost prescription drugs. The first negotiated prices (10 drugs) took effect in 2026; the program expands to 60 drugs by 2029. The IRA also capped Medicare Part D out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 annually starting 2025, capped insulin at $35/month for Medicare beneficiaries (2023), and required pharmaceutical manufacturers to pay Medicare rebates for prices rising faster than inflation. Schumer led Senate passage of the IRA on August 7, 2022 (51-50, Harris breaking tie).

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The IRA's Medicare drug-pricing provisions represented the first time the U.S. government negotiated drug prices since Medicare Part D was created in 2003 (which had explicitly prohibited negotiation as part of its compromise design). The path: the Build Back Better Act (December 2021) failed after Manchin opposition. Schumer and Manchin negotiated a smaller package — focused on climate, healthcare, and corporate tax — over the summer of 2022. The resulting Inflation Reduction Act passed the Senate 51-50 on August 7, 2022 (Vice President Harris breaking the tie). The House passed it 220-207 on August 12, 2022. Biden signed on August 16, 2022. The drug-pricing provisions: - Authorized Medicare to negotiate prices on 10 high-cost drugs initially (2026), expanding to 60 drugs by 2029 - Capped Medicare Part D out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 annually (starting 2025) - Capped insulin at $35/month for Medicare beneficiaries (2023 forward) - Required pharmaceutical manufacturers to pay Medicare rebates for prices rising faster than inflation - Negotiated prices for 2026 (first cycle): drugs included Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, Fiasp/NovoLog Stakes that drug-price negotiation advocates foreground: - **U.S. prescription drug prices average 2-4x prices in other developed countries** for the same drugs - **Approximately 30% of Americans skip or delay medications due to cost** (Kaiser surveys) - The first 10 negotiated drugs covered approximately $50 billion in annual Medicare spending; the negotiated prices are projected to save Medicare approximately $100 billion over 10 years - Insulin cost was a documented driver of skipped doses and emergency-room visits; the $35 cap addressed a specific crisis Stakes that drug-price negotiation skeptics foreground: - **Pharmaceutical R&D spending** is approximately $100 billion annually in the U.S.; reduced revenue could reduce future drug development pipeline - The 'negotiation' is effectively price-setting backed by an excise tax for non-compliance, which the industry characterizes as coercive - Multiple pharmaceutical companies (Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Astellas) filed legal challenges to the negotiation program - The savings projections depend on assumptions that may be revised The verdict KEPT scores Schumer's promise to pass Medicare drug-price negotiation against the IRA's actual provisions. The legislation was passed and signed. Implementation is ongoing through 2026-2029. The substantive impact on drug prices and Medicare savings will play out across the implementation window.

KeptClimatePROMISE #4

Pass major climate legislation.

Verdict reasoning

The Inflation Reduction Act (P.L. 117-169) authorized $369 billion in climate spending over 10 years — the largest single climate investment in U.S. history. The package included clean-energy tax credits (production and investment), electric vehicle subsidies, methane emissions fee, environmental justice grants, and conservation funding. Schumer led Senate passage on August 7, 2022. EPA projects the IRA will drive U.S. emissions to 35-43% below 2005 levels by 2030, putting the U.S. on a trajectory close to the Paris Agreement commitment of 50-52% by 2030 (the IRA contribution combined with state and other federal action).

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The IRA's climate provisions were the substantive replacement for the failed Build Back Better Act and the Green New Deal framework. Schumer negotiated the package with Manchin over July 2022. The climate provisions: - Production tax credit (PTC) for clean electricity - Investment tax credit (ITC) for solar, wind, storage, geothermal - Electric vehicle tax credit ($7,500 new, $4,000 used) - Domestic-manufacturing requirements for EV battery components - $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (green bank) - Methane emissions fee on oil and gas - $20 billion for agricultural conservation - $9 billion for home energy efficiency rebates - Environmental Protection Agency air-quality monitoring grants Projected impact: - EPA modeled emission reductions to approximately 35-43% below 2005 levels by 2030 - Goldman Sachs estimated the package would catalyze approximately $3 trillion in total clean-energy investment over 10 years - Princeton REPEAT Project modeled approximately 1 billion tons of CO2 reduction by 2030 vs. business-as-usual Stakes that climate-action advocates foreground: - **U.S. is the world's second-largest emitter** of greenhouse gases - **2023-2024 climate disasters** (Maui fires, Hurricane Helene, Pacific Northwest heat dome) underscore the urgency of mitigation - The IRA's tax-credit structure has driven approximately $200+ billion in announced clean-energy manufacturing investments - The Paris Agreement 1.5°C target requires aggressive emission cuts; the IRA puts the U.S. closer to its 50-52% by 2030 NDC Stakes that climate-action skeptics foreground: - The $369 billion is a 10-year authorization; actual outlays depend on implementation, court challenges, and political follow-through - A substantial portion of the tax credits flow to projects that would have been built anyway (the 'additionality' question) - Some of the cost has been borne by general taxpayers rather than emitting industries - Trump 2nd-term EOs have begun unwinding portions of the IRA implementation; the substantive trajectory is contested The verdict KEPT scores Schumer's promise to pass major climate legislation. The IRA passed; the climate provisions are documented; implementation began. The full impact will play out over 10+ years.

Full Inventory

All tracked promises

BrokenVoting Rights

Restore voting rights / pass John Lewis VRA.

Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis VRA Advancement Act both failed cloture in 2021-2022. January 19, 2022 filibuster carve-out vote failed 48-52 (Manchin and Sinema voting NO). VRA preclearance regime not restored.

KeptPandemic

American Rescue Plan / pandemic relief.

ARPA passed March 11, 2021 (P.L. 117-2), $1.9T pandemic relief. Senate vote 50-49 via reconciliation. Schumer led passage as Majority Leader.

KeptIndustrial Policy

CHIPS Act / semiconductor manufacturing.

CHIPS and Science Act passed July 27, 2022 (P.L. 117-167), $280B in semiconductor and research funding. Senate vote 64-33.

PartialGun Policy

Gun safety legislation.

Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (P.L. 117-159, June 25, 2022): first major federal gun-safety legislation in 30 years, but more limited than the Schumer-proposed background-check expansion and assault-weapons ban which did not advance.

KeptLGBTQ+ Rights

Respect for Marriage Act / codify same-sex marriage.

Respect for Marriage Act passed November 29, 2022 (Senate 61-36; 12 Republicans + Independents joining all Democrats), signed December 13, 2022. Codified federal recognition of same-sex and interracial marriages.

#10

KeptJudiciary

Confirm judicial nominees.

Approximately 235 federal judges confirmed during 117th-118th Congress (2021-2025) under Schumer's Majority Leader tenure, including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (April 7, 2022).

#11

BrokenFamily Policy

Expanded child tax credit (permanent).

ARPA's expanded child tax credit (March-December 2021) expired after Manchin opposition to Build Back Better extension. The expansion was not made permanent. Child poverty rose after expiration.

#12

BrokenFamily Policy

Universal pre-K / expanded childcare.

Build Back Better's universal pre-K and childcare provisions did not pass. IRA did not include them.

#13

BrokenImmigration

Pass immigration reform with path to citizenship.

Comprehensive immigration reform with path to citizenship did not pass. 2024 Bipartisan Border Bill collapsed after Trump opposition triggered House Republican rejection.

#14

PartialTaxes

Tax wealthy + corporations.

IRA's 15% corporate alternative minimum tax + 1% stock buyback tax: KEPT side. Broader wealth tax / 'Billionaire Minimum Income Tax' proposals did not advance.

#15

KeptForeign Policy

Support Ukraine / sustained military aid.

Schumer led Senate passage of every major Ukraine aid package: H.R. 7691 (May 2022, $40B), additional NDAA provisions, H.R. 815 (April 2024, $60B Ukraine portion). Schumer publicly visited Ukraine and met with Zelensky.

#16

BrokenLabor

Pass PRO Act / strengthen union organizing.

PRO Act passed House multiple times; never advanced in Senate (failed cloture, intra-Democratic-caucus opposition from Manchin/Sinema).

#17

You DecideForeign Policy

Withdraw from Afghanistan responsibly.

U.S. completed Afghanistan withdrawal August 30, 2021. The withdrawal occurred (KEPT side); the chaotic Kabul airlift and Taliban return are widely critiqued (BROKEN side). Schumer's promise was about completion; the manner is contested. YOU_DECIDE captures the framework dependency.

#18

You DecideForeign Policy

Stand by Israel / support U.S.-Israel alliance.

Schumer has consistently voted for Israel aid packages. In March 2024, he made a controversial Senate floor speech calling for new Israeli elections, characterizing Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace. Critics of the speech said it undermined the alliance; defenders said it was friendly criticism. The alliance vote-record stands; the framework for evaluating his support is contested.

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