Hakeem Jeffries (00:06):
Good afternoon, everybody.
AUDIENCE (00:16):
Good afternoon.
Hakeem Jeffries (00:20):
From the very beginning of this year, Donald Trump and Republicans have failed to deliver on their core promise to lower the high cost of living in the United States of America. In fact, what Donald Trump and Republicans said is that costs were going to go down on day one, but costs haven't gone down, they're going up. Inflation is going up. Under Republican policies, housing costs are going up, childcare costs are going up, grocery costs are going up, electricity prices are through the roof. And now because of the Republican refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, tens of millions of Americans are about to experience dramatically increased healthcare costs. In some cases, their health insurance premiums will increase by 1,000 or $2,000 per year. That is unacceptable. It will be unaffordable for working class Americans, middle class Americans, and everyday Americans to be able to go see a doctor when they need one.
(01:38)
And so, House Democrats and Senate Democrats have been fighting hard to address the Republican healthcare crisis and to lower the high cost of living for everyday Americans in the United States of America. Because the reality is, America is too expensive and far too many people are struggling to live paycheck to paycheck. They can't thrive, they can barely survive, and that's why Democrats have been waging this fight. And we'll continue to wage this fight no matter what comes over to us from the United States Senate to the House of Representatives at some point this week.
(02:30)
Our position as House Democrats has been crystal clear. We will sit down with any Republicans, anytime, anyplace, anywhere in order to find a bipartisan path forward. But we're not down with their, my way or the highway approach to governance. That's failed the American people. It's been a disaster for the American people, and the American people know it, which is why last Tuesday, Republicans all across the country got wiped out. One of the most decisive off-year elections ever in modern American history. And so, as House Democrats, we know we're on the right side of this fight, the right side of the American people. And we're not going to support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of the American people, and we're going to continue the fight to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. And if it doesn't happen this week, next week, this month, next month, then it's the fault of Donald Trump, House and Senate Republicans, who continue to make life more expensive for the American people. Questions?
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Thanks, Leader. Some Democrats in your own caucus are suggesting Schumer isn't effective as Senate democratic leader and should be replaced. You of course, are critical of this deal. Do you view him as effective and should he keep the job?
Hakeem Jeffries (04:16):
Yes, and yes.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Leader Jeffries, do you trust in this deal there is language for President Trump and the Trump Administration to reverse some of the firings that happened during the shutdown. Do you trust that the Trump Administration and the President is going to sign off on that and reverse the people who have been fired?
Hakeem Jeffries (04:34):
We'll have to evaluate the legislative language and we'll have a caucus meeting later on this afternoon and we'll get a presentation from Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee. The overwhelming majority of Senate Democrats led by Leader Schumer are opposing this bill in the Senate and they'll articulate there are a variety of different reasons that the bill is being opposed strongly by Democrats in the Senate, the overwhelming majority of them, and there'll be a variety of different reasons that we articulate in the House.
(05:14)
Now, certainly, we're going to continue to stand by our hardworking federal employees. By the way, Donald Trump and Republicans, this toxic administration, they fired more than 200,000 federal employees prior to the shutdown that they started beginning. So of course, there's reason to be deeply skeptical of the administration and their motives as it relates to the hardworking federal civil servants and the federal workforce, and we will continue to be deeply skeptical of their intentions. They spent the whole year implementing the toxic parts, the most toxic parts of Project 2025, after lying to the American people last year saying they didn't know anything about Project 2025. And part of that has been going after the federal workforce. So, we'll see what the language looks like, but it doesn't change the core problem here, which is we need to decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis on behalf of working class Americans, everyday Americans, and middle class Americans. Thanks. Third row?
Speaker 4 (06:35):
So Dr. Oz said that millions of-
Hakeem Jeffries (06:41):
Who?
Speaker 4 (06:41):
Dr. Oz. That there are millions of phantom enrollees under the ACA. Is that being looked at as it possibly makes it so that people that are on the ACA are more [inaudible 00:06:52] the numbers?
Hakeem Jeffries (06:52):
That's like the most random way to start a question on a serious topic. Nobody who's serious in this country takes Dr. Oz seriously, no one. And I mean, it's shocking that the guy even was confirmed, but this is part of the reality of Republicans here in the House and over in the Senate. They're nothing more than a rubber stamp for Donald Trump's cruelty and extreme agenda.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Are the phantom enrollees being addressed, though?
Hakeem Jeffries (07:25):
I have no idea what Dr. Oz is talking about, and neither do the American people. Now with respect to the Affordable Care Act, here's what I do know, that Republicans have tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act more than 70 different times in the last 15 years. They don't operate in good faith when it comes to the healthcare of the American people. And of course, as Democrats have repeatedly indicated, we're open to sitting down and having a bipartisan conversation about how to fix our broken healthcare system overall. But I'm not going to respond to any comments from randos like Dr. Oz who is woefully unqualified to be in whatever position he holds in the administration. He's a joke. These people are jokes, but the issue of the healthcare of the American people is very serious, and that's what we'll continue to focus on. Back row?
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Do you see in the Senate bill the extension of SNAP benefits rather than the possibility of a January cliff for them? Do you see that as a victory or is that something that also raises questions?
Hakeem Jeffries (08:39):
Here's what I understand about the SNAP situation. Republicans this year, on July 3rd, subsequently signed into law by the current president, enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, ripping away health insurance from at least 14 million Americans, and at the same period of time cut $186 billion from SNAP. Republicans did that this year. They literally ripped food from the mouths of hungry children, seniors, and veterans so they could reward their billionaire donors with massive tax breaks that they made permanent. That's what Republicans did. They've launched an all-out assault on SNAP. They've weaponized hunger and starvation here in America. Taking SNAP benefits away from more than a million veterans, rather than honoring them tomorrow, which is what should be taking place in the United States of America, Republicans have done that. And so, these people can't be trusted on the cost of living issue. These Republican extremists, they can't be trusted on the healthcare issue, and they certainly cannot be trusted on the SNAP issue.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
As you know, this has been the longest shutdown in American history. You've seen chaos at airports, delayed SNAP benefits, people losing their jobs, and yet the deal that Democrats agreed to has been a deal that's been on the table for a while now, still no policy outcome on healthcare. So, what did the American people gain from the past 41 days?
Hakeem Jeffries (10:21):
Our fight in the House of Representatives will continue to address the Republican healthcare crisis. We'll continue that fight today, tomorrow, this week, next week, this month, next month, this year, next year. We're going to continue that fight to fix our broken healthcare system and lower the high cost of living for the American people. And the American people know that we're on the right side of this fight. It's part of the reason why you saw decisive Democratic victories last Tuesday and crushing Republican losses all across America. In Virginia, in New Jersey, in New York, in Pennsylvania, in California, in Mississippi, in Georgia, across the country, up and down the ballot, because Republican policies have failed the American people. And as Democrats we're going to continue to fight to make their life better. Thanks.
Speaker 6 (11:24):
Thank you, leader. Throughout the shutdown, you've referred to your Senate colleagues as courageous for rejecting the 14 previous attempts to reopen the government without an extension to the Affordable Tax Care Credit. Those eight Senate Democrats who voted to start the process of reopening the government, do you still include them in that characterization of courageous Democrats who have kept the fight going throughout this shutdown?
Hakeem Jeffries (11:51):
Well, I don't have much to say about individuals and they're going to have to explain themselves to their constituents and to the American people. I certainly believe that Senate Democrats, the overwhelming majority of Senate Democrats led by Chuck Schumer have waged a valiant fight over the last seven weeks, defeating the partisan Republican spending bill 14 of 15 different times week after week after week, and continue to oppose this effort of passing legislation that does not address the Republican healthcare crisis by extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits.
(12:28)
But the fight is getting ready to shift back to the House, where we're going to work hard, hold the Republicans accountable. All of these loudmouths on the House Republican Conference side who's been saying for the last several weeks that we have to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, now is their chance. This week they have to come back from their seven-week prolonged taxpayer funded Republican vacation. They can no longer hide, they can no longer hide. Mike Johnson is apparently still hiding, refused to even answer a single question today, that's extraordinary. But they're not going to be able to hide this week when they return from their vacation. Thanks.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
Thank you. Speaking of the House, Speaker Johnson has not committed to holding a vote on subsidies even though the Senate agreement would have them do so. What do you say to that? And then also, what do you think that would do to the relationship between Republicans and Democrats on the House side?
Hakeem Jeffries (13:40):
Well, the failure of Republicans to address the healthcare crisis that they've created in the House and in the Senate is no surprise, because House and Senate Republicans multiple times this year have been given an opportunity to vote to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. And multiple times this year already in the context of the debate around their one big ugly bill they voted against, unanimously voted against extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits. So, over the last several weeks, it's become increasingly difficult for them to hide from their position as it relates to the healthcare of the American people. And House Democrats, joined by our colleagues in the Senate, we're not going to stop the fight. We're going to continue to lean into the fight over the next few days and beyond until we actually get an outcome that makes life better for working-class Americans.
Speaker 8 (14:54):
Thank you, Mr. Leader. There's already extensive backlash coming from the Democratic base over feeling shortchanged by Senate Democrats who secured this deal without touching on healthcare. What do you think that this backlash can mean for the party going into the midterms next year? And also for the voters who just handed Democrats to try a decisive victory, do you think that this will make them feel also shortchanged, disenfranchised, demoralized? Do you think that this will lead to a switch up?
Hakeem Jeffries (15:21):
House Democrats are going to take back control of the House of Representatives next year. I've said it before, and if I said it, I meant it. Now, with respect to the senators on the other side of the Capitol, they're going to have to explain themselves. But the overwhelming majority of Senate Democrats continue to remain in the arena fighting to fix our broken healthcare system and address the Republican healthcare crisis. This fight for us is not partisan. It's not a partisan fight. It's a patriotic fight. We're waging this fight on behalf of the American people.
(16:08)
The five states that are most impacted by a failure to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits are West Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska, Mississippi, and Tennessee. 45% of the people, of the Americans who are going to lose healthcare or be at risk of losing healthcare if they don't on the other side of the aisle, extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. 45% of them are registered Republicans, 35% registered Democrats, and 20% unaffiliated or independent. This is not a partisan fight for us, it's a patriotic fight.
(16:54)
One of the people that I met early on during this Trump Republican shutdown came to Capitol Hill, was a 29-year-old named Mariah Plant. She's from rural Wyoming County in West Virginia. Her older brother is nonverbal, autistic, and requires 24-hour care. And Mariah is able to provide that care to her older brother lovingly and affectionately because of Medicaid that Republicans have now cut by the largest amount in American history. Her hospital in rural West Virginia is at risk of closing because of Republican policies in their one big ugly bill. And at the same time, this 29-year-old loving caregiver for her older brother gets her healthcare from the Affordable Care Act, and it's affordable because of the tax credits that Republicans now want to rip away from her. And so, I'm fighting for people like Mariah Plant. Very different than the people that I represent in Brooklyn, New York, but she's an American just like I represent hundreds of thousands of Americans, and that's what House Democrats are doing. We're fighting for the American people.
Speaker 9 (18:38):
Thank you, Leader Jeffries. Have you spoken to your Democratic colleagues in the Senate who voted to reopen the government? And if so, what do you make of the argument that Republicans would not discuss healthcare during the shutdown? So they said there was no choice but to vote yes?
Hakeem Jeffries (18:49):
I have not spoken to them. Thanks.
Speaker 10 (18:52):
Different topic, Mr. Leader, if you don't mind. President Trump announcing widespread pardons for the group of people that were involved in providing alternate electors, as they called it for the 2020 election. And he also is allegedly received a commutation request from Ghislaine Maxwell. Just wondering about your thoughts about the way the president has handled his pardon power, especially given how critical he was of President Biden.
Hakeem Jeffries (19:16):
Well, Donald Trump, in terms of the exercise of his pardon power and commutations, is completely in totally out of control. Like he can find the time to pardon a serial fraudster like George Santos, but can't find any time to sit down with Democrats on Capitol Hill who represent half the country in order to address the healthcare crisis that Republicans have created as devastating people in urban America, rural America, working class America, small town America, the heartland of America, and black and brown communities throughout America. And so, what we're seeing with these toxic pardons and commutations coming from Donald Trump is more of the same.
(20:01)
And look, the American people know, these extremists on the Republican side have gone too far. And the crazy part about it is that they went too far on day one of Donald Trump's presidency, and it's been downhill ever since. On day one of Donald Trump's presidency, this guy pardons hundreds of violent felons who brutally beat police officers, 140 of whom were seriously injured, life-threatening injuries in many cases. And then unleash these people on communities all across the country in ways that put those communities at risk.
(20:50)
And what we've seen from Donald Trump since day one, since those toxic pardons of those violent individuals, is more of the same. From a person who promised to lower costs on day one, but doesn't give a damn about the American people. And what has taken place over the last 41 days is that the American people have seen Democrats fight for them, fight to make life better for them, fight to drive down the high cost of living for everyday Americans, and fix our broken healthcare system in the face of this overwhelming Republican assault on the healthcare of everyday Americans. And Republicans continue to stand up for the wealthy, the well-off, and the well-connected.
Speaker 11 (21:46):
Thank you leader, whether fair or unfair, Leader Schumer is taking a lot of heat from members of your own party. Why do you think he is the right leader for this moment and why do you think he should stay Leader of Senate Democrats?
Hakeem Jeffries (21:58):
Yeah, as I've indicated, listen, Leader Schumer and Senate Democrats over the last seven weeks have waged a valiant fight on behalf of the American people. And I'm not going to explain what a handful of Senate Democrats have decided to do. That's their explanation to offer to the American people. What we're going to continue to do as House Democrats, partnered with our allies throughout America, is to wage the fight, to stay in the coliseum, to win victories in the arena on behalf of the American people, notwithstanding whatever disappointments may arise. That's the reality of life, that's certainly the reality of this place. But we're in this fight for all the right reasons because the extremism that has been unleashed on the American people is completely and totally out of control. Life hasn't gotten better for everyday Americans under Donald Trump and compliant Republicans, it's gotten worse, and the American people know it.
(23:08)
And we've got to continue to stay in this fight until we end this national nightmare. And that's our commitment to the American people. We're in this fight until we end this national nightmare and can give back to a place where we continue America's long necessary and majestic March toward a more perfect union. Thank you.
AUDIENCE (23:30):
Oh, sorry.