LEADER JEFFRIES TELLS RALLY: "WE ARE IN THIS FIGHT UNTIL WE WIN THIS FIGHT"
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke at the Healthcare over Billionaires Rally at the Capitol where he made clear that House Democrats will continue to stand up on behalf of the health, safety and well-being of the American people and fight back against the extreme MAGA Republican assault on healthcare.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Are you here to fight for the healthcare of the American people? Are you here to win?
What an honor and a privilege to be here with all of you. House Democrats are here in the Capitol reporting for duty. Republicans are on vacation. We're here because we understand this is an important fight, an important fight to win. We're prepared at all times to try to find a bipartisan path forward to fund the government, but it has to be funded in a manner consistent with our values and in a manner that lifts up the quality of life of the American people, that doesn't hurt everyday Americans. So our position has been clear. We will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of the American people. Not now, not ever.
Now, yesterday, Chuck Schumer and I met in the Oval Office with the President and Republican leadership. In that meeting, it was extraordinary, some of the Republican leaders said healthcare is extraneous. We said, no, healthcare is not extraneous. Healthcare is central to the quality of life of the American people, and that's why we're fighting. Now, after that meeting, Donald Trump posted this AI video featuring myself and Chuck Schumer. It was a fake video. It was a disgusting video. It was a racist video. It was unbecoming of anyone purporting to be the President of the United States of America. But y'all, I ain't scared. I'm from Brooklyn. We get down like Shirley Chisholm, unbought and unbossed at all times.
So, Mr. President, allow me to reintroduce myself. I'm the House Democratic Leader. The House Democratic Caucus is 217 Members strong. We're part of a separate and co-equal branch of government. That means we don't work for Donald Trump. We don't work for JD Vance. We don't work for billionaire donors. We work for all of you, the American people.
And that's why we're here together. House Democrats, Senate Democrats, standing together with all of you. Your values are our values, and our values are your values. And together, we're fighting to cancel the cuts, lower the cost and save healthcare. We're fighting together for your Medicaid. Are we fighting for your Medicaid? We're fighting together for your Medicaid. We're fighting together for the Affordable Care Act. We're fighting to protect your hospitals. We are fighting to protect our nursing homes. We're fighting to protect our community-based health clinics. And we're fighting for the principle that in America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, healthcare can't simply be a privilege for the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected. We're fighting for the principle that in this country, healthcare must be a right available to every single American at all times.
At all times. At all times. And so, this fight won't be easy, but I trust the resiliency of the American people, the heart, the soul, the spirit and the strength of the American people. We stand on the shoulders of so many giants, many who we've served with, like the great John Lewis, who would always tell us in times of challenge, stand up, show up, speak up for what we know is right. And go out there and get into necessary trouble, and good trouble. I said good trouble. I said good trouble.
Are you ready for us to hold the line? Are you ready for us to stand strong? Are you ready for us to win this fight? Save your healthcare? Lower costs? Make sure we protect the things that matter for you and your families? Are you ready for us to put families and healthcare over billionaires? Well, I'm here to tell you, we're in this fight until we win this fight. God bless each and every one of you.
Full remarks from the rally can be viewed here.