More than 100 demonstrators rallied outside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s Midtown office Monday, urging him to resist Republican-led budget cuts they say threaten health care, housing, education, and other essential programs.
Chanting “Hold the line or resign” and “Chuck be bold, do not fold,” protesters delivered hundreds of letters demanding Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, whose office is also located at 780 3rd Avenue, block GOP spending proposals ahead of a Sept. 30 government funding deadline.
Eric Weltman, senior New York organizer with Food & Water Watch, and Adam Ring of Indivisible Brooklyn carried the petitions into Schumer’s office for an impromptu 30-minute meeting with Schumer’s staff.
Weltman said the groups’ top priority was banning “rescissions,” a budget tactic that allows previously approved funds to be clawed back.
“If Republicans are allowed to ram through rescissions, any funding agreement isn’t worth the paper it’s written on,” Weltman told the crowd after emerging from the meeting. “We can’t afford another Schumer surrender.”
In a later interview with amNewYork, Weltman described the meeting as “democracy in action.”
“They only sat down with us because we were out here,” he said. “It was a good dialogue, and we intend to keep up the pressure. We’re not going anywhere. But they didn’t give us everything we wanted — especially on the need for a ban on rescissions.”
Ring said Schumer’s staff assured them the senator had shifted strategy since March, when Democrats voted with Republicans to avert a shutdown, and allowed concessions to pass.
“Senator Schumer has changed,” Ring said. “His current position is more or less aligned with what we believe is in everyone’s interest — for Democrats to use Democratic votes to promote the well-being of Americans, particularly with regard to health care.”
Ring did, however, criticize Gillibrand after she did not send staff to accept their petitions. “It is incredibly disappointing that Senator Gillibrand always has time to talk to crypto bros … and she has made it a point never to meet with her constituents,” he said, adding that she should resign as head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee if she refuses to engage with New Yorkers.
Neither senator appeared at the rally, only a cut-out of Schumer donning Peanuts’ Charlie Brown’s signature zig-zag t-shirt.
Their offices did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the meeting or protest.
With less than two weeks before the end of the fiscal year, Congress faces the prospect of a shutdown. Politico reports that Republicans are expected to introduce a short-term continuing resolution (CR) this week to keep the government funded through Nov. 20, with text expected soon. GOP leaders are said to want a floor vote this week, but the Senate’s Rosh Hashanah recess means little time remains before the Sept. 30 shutdown deadline.
Weltman said activists plan to continue pressing their case at Schumer’s other New York offices, including one on Long Island later this week.
