LEADER JEFFRIES: "THE TRUMP-REPUBLICAN ECONOMY IS NOT AN A+"
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference, where he reiterated that Democrats are committed to lowering the high cost of living across the country, starting with protecting Americans' healthcare by extending the ACA tax credits.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Donald Trump had the unmitigated gall yesterday to rate the economy an A+ five times over. Working class Americans, everyday Americans, hardworking American taxpayers are struggling in the Trump economy to live paycheck to paycheck. Can't thrive, can barely survive. Cost of living is completely and totally out of control. Donald Trump and Republicans have done nothing to lower the high cost of living. Costs haven't gone down, costs are going up. Housing costs, out of control. Electricity costs, out of control. Child care costs, out of control. Grocery costs, out of control. And healthcare costs, out of control. And about to get worse. Because Donald Trump and Republicans refuse to do anything to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. The Trump-Republican economy is not an A+. Everyday Americans are not confused about that. And if there's any debate as to the success or failure of this economy related to how it may be graded, the only question is whether the American people would give it a D for disaster or an F for failure. That's it. Nothing else.
Now, House Democrats are going to continue to focus on driving down the high cost of living, fixing our broken healthcare system and actually making life better for the American people. And we can start by extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits. Time has run out. Democrats have been pressing our Republican colleagues for months to deal with the healthcare crisis that they have created. And in a matter of just a few weeks, tens of millions of Americans who live in every single state across this country are about to experience dramatically-increased healthcare costs. In some instances, premiums are going to increase by a thousand or two thousand dollars per month. How is that acceptable in the United States of America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world? That because of congressional inaction, people are going to go bankrupt medically, or will be unable to see a doctor when they need one, when their families need one or when their children need one.
House Democrats are going to continue to press our case. 214 Democrats. Every single House Democrat supports legislation to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits and has signed a discharge petition to force an up-or-down vote. All we need are four House Republicans. Just four. There are 219. All we need are four to join us. Keep your word to the American people that you are not gonna let the Affordable Care Act tax credits expire.
Full press conference can be watched here.