LEADER JEFFRIES ON THE HOUSE STEPS: "HOUSE DEMOCRATS ARE ON DUTY. HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE ON VACATION."
Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and House Democrats held a press event to make clear that as opposed to their Republican colleagues, Democrats are in Washington and ready to work to find a bipartisan deal to avoid a government shutdown and save the healthcare of the American people.
Leader Jeffries: It's a high honor and a distinct privilege to stand here today with Members of the House Democratic Caucus who I want to thank for their grit, for their strength, for their intellect, for their heart, for their soul and for their fight on behalf of the American people. We are in this fight until we win this fight for the people. I want to thank Theresa from the great state of New Jersey, Tony from the great state—the Commonwealth—of Pennsylvania, as well as Catherine from the great state of Ohio for their presence here today, for sharing their stories, for being here on behalf of more than 300 million Americans who are having to deal with the Republican healthcare crisis.
Mr. President, allow me to reintroduce myself. I'm the House Democratic Leader. Our caucus is 217 Members strong. We serve in a separate and co-equal branch of government. We don't work for you. We work for the American people. We are fighting to lower the high cost of living and to protect the healthcare of everyday Americans. And Mr. President, the next time you have something to say about me, don't cop out through a racist and fake AI video. When I'm back in the Oval Office, say it to my face. Say it to my face.
House Democrats are here on duty, fighting on behalf of the American people, ready to fund the government in a way that lifts up their quality of life. House Democrats are on duty. House Republicans are on vacation. Shame on them for being on vacation all across the country and across the world on the eve of a government shutdown. We're on duty. They're on vacation. They're on vacation because they'd rather shut the government down than protect the healthcare of the American people. That's unfathomable, that's unacceptable, that's unconscionable and that's un-American. Do your job, as opposed to being missing in action.
Now, we'll hear from everyday Americans whose healthcare has been under assault by Republicans, who have enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, triggered a possible $536 billion cut to Medicare because of what happened in their One Big Ugly Bill. Hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health clinics are closing all across America—in rural America, in urban America, in the heartland of America, in small town America, in Black and brown communities all across America—because of what Republicans have done in terms of this healthcare crisis that they've created. And in just a few days, notices will go out to tens of millions of Americans because of the Republican refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, which will result in tens of millions of Americans experiencing dramatically increased premiums, co-pays and deductibles in an environment where the cost of living is already too high. Our position is a simple one. Cancel the cuts. Lower the cost. Save healthcare. That's what this fight is all about.
We're here, we're ready, we're willing and able to find a bipartisan path forward to fund the government in a way that actually meets the needs of the American people in terms of their health, their safety and their economic well-being. But here's what we're not going to do. We're not going to support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of the American people. Not now, not ever. We are here to lower the high cost of living. We're here to cancel the cuts. We're here to lower the costs. We're here to save the healthcare of the American people.
And our promise to you, America, is that we will always stand up for what is in your best interests to make your life better. To ensure that in this country, when you work hard and play by the rules, you can afford to live the good life for yourself, for your family and for your children. And we know that an important part of that is protecting your healthcare. So we're here to protect your healthcare today. Protect your healthcare tomorrow. Protect your healthcare this week. Protect your healthcare next week. Protect your healthcare this month. Protect your healthcare next month. Protect your healthcare this year. Protect your healthcare next year. We will protect your healthcare at all times, and defend your healthcare until victory is won.
Full press event can be watched here.