LEADER JEFFRIES ON MSNBC: "WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE REPUBLICAN HEALTHCARE CRISIS"
Yesterday, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC's The 11th Hour, where he highlighted that while Republicans remain radio silent, Democrats are ready to find a bipartisan government funding agreement to reopen the government and end the healthcare crisis that Republicans created.
STEPHANIE RUHLE: Leader Jeffries, thank you for joining me. We are now in day seven of the shutdown. A week from now, military paychecks could be missed. There are already travel disruptions and a host of other problems. Where are we on ending this thing?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, good evening, great to be with you. As House Democrats, along with Senate Democrats, we've continued to make clear, we'll sit down with anyone, anytime, anyplace, including the President, we'll go back to the Oval Office, to have a conversation about reopening the government immediately, ending this Trump shutdown, entering into a spending agreement that actually makes life better for the American people, as opposed to hurting everyday Americans. And, certainly, we need to address the Republican healthcare crisis because it's devastating everyday Americans all across the country.
STEPHANIE RUHLE: Even if Republicans come to the negotiating table, is there any point in agreeing to anything without a binding agreement that the White House actually spends the money?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, exactly to your point, in the continuing resolution that we've introduced in both the House and the Senate, we've made clear that if we reach an agreement, it has to be ironclad so that the things that have actually been included in an agreement to reopen the government and spend taxpayer dollars are actually executed so we can improve the quality of life of the American people. Listen, we're dealing with a situation here in America where life has gotten more expensive. The cost of living is too high. Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one. Costs aren't going down, they're going up. And because of the Republican refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, we know for tens of millions of Americans across the country, their premiums, co-pays and deductibles are about to go up. That should not be the case here in America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world.
STEPHANIE RUHLE: Well, meanwhile, the President and Republicans are arguing that's not what it's about. They're saying Democrats just want to give free healthcare to undocumented immigrants. If you wanted to play pure politics, why not pass the continuing resolution and make Donald Trump show the American people what he's actually going to do with the Big Beautiful Bill, which would drastically cut healthcare benefits? Because right now, they're making it sound like, no, this isn't about the American people. It's about undocumented immigrants.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, this is not politics. This is personal for all of us in fighting hard to make sure that the American people can actually go see a doctor when they're sick. That their hospitals and nursing homes and community-based health clinics don't continue to close, which is a consequence of the One Big Ugly Bill. In fact, with that piece of legislation, that toxic, extreme piece of legislation, Republicans enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. They also ripped food from the mouths of hungry children. And all of this was done so that they could provide massive tax breaks that are now permanent to their billionaire donors. Our view is that that's exactly the wrong approach that we should be taking as a government. We should be helping everyday Americans, not rewarding the wealthy, the well-off and the well connected.
STEPHANIE RUHLE: Well, now the President wants to bail out American farmers who were hurt by his tariffs. But he cannot do it without Congress. There is no money to bail them out without congressional approval. Could this be an opening for negotiating with Republicans?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Republicans are going to have to decide that they want to act in good faith. And what we've seen, unfortunately, from congressional Republicans from the very beginning of this administration, is that they don't function like a separate and co-equal branch of government. Instead, they've served as a rubber stamp for Donald Trump's extreme agenda. And they're hurting their own people. This is one of the reasons why we believe we have to address the Republican healthcare crisis, and we need to do it now. We know farmers and veterans and federal employees, everyday Americans, working-class Americans, middle-class American, they've all been hurt by these toxic and extreme Republican policies from the very beginning of this administration. This is an opportunity for Republicans in the House and the Senate to finally decide to actually be there for the people that they represent. Unfortunately, we're not holding our breath.
STEPHANIE RUHLE: Yes, sir. I can hold my breath or not and say yes, yes, yes. But what is the leverage point that's going to make them play ball? Speaker Johnson says he's opening to passing legislation that would pay the troops and air traffic controllers during the shutdown. Is that something you guys would consider?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, certainly, it's been the case that there's always been efforts to provide support for our military troops, even in the context of a government shutdown. And there are several members of the House Democratic Caucus who are, in fact, leading that effort. But we do need partners on the other side of the aisle who are willing to abandon their extremism and do the right thing for the American people. What we've seen instead is that House Republicans, as we speak right now, Stephanie, are on vacation. House Democrats are on duty. Republicans are scattered all across the country. They canceled votes last week. They canceled votes this week. Donald Trump spent the weekend on the golf course. And they haven't gotten serious about reopening the government that they've shut down, and that's unfortunate. That's one of the reasons why we remain in this situation. But at the same period of time, Leader Schumer, myself, House and Senate Democrats have made clear, we want to find a bipartisan path forward to reopen the government, to pass a spending agreement that actually lifts up the American people, but it has to be one that decisively addresses the Republican healthcare crisis.
STEPHANIE RUHLE: Vacations, excuse me, vacations and golf courses, phones still work. I know you're not going to give me names, but behind the scenes, are there any Republicans that you're talking to right now, that you're having active conversations with in the last few days?
LEADER JEFFRIES: You know, unfortunately, they went radio silent after the Oval Office meeting last week, and there still haven't been any meaningful conversations with Republicans, either in the House or in the Senate. I think their approach was just to try to continue to put the same bill forward, a partisan Republican spending bill that we've repeatedly made clear we won't support because it guts the healthcare of the American people. Senate Democrats have now voted against it five times, and things aren't going to change because this is a very real crisis. Premiums, co-pays and deductibles are about to explode. The open enrollment period starts on November 1st. Notices are going out to everyday Americans right now as we speak, and even Marjorie Taylor Greene has acknowledged this is a very real cost of living crisis, and she's urged her own Republican leaders to get with the program.
STEPHANIE RUHLE: Leader Jeffries, thank you. It is just extraordinary. When there is a crisis in the business world, everybody shows up and fixes it immediately. Government, it's something different. Good to see you. Thanks for joining me tonight.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you.
Full interview can be watched here.