LEADER JEFFRIES: "WE CONTINUE TO OFFER A BIPARTISAN PATH FORWARD"
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined Geoff Bennett on PBS NewsHour where he emphasized that House Democrats are willing to find a bipartisan path forward so that the Congress can get back to work for everyday Americans and deliver critical support to the people of Israel.
GEOFF BENNETT: We're joined by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Leader Jeffries, welcome back to the NewsHour.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Good evening, great to be with you.
GEOFF BENNETT: The Israel-Hamas war is now in its sixth day. The U.S. has sent munitions, aircraft carriers, fighter jets to aid Israel after the Hamas attacks. What additional U.S. assistance, though, is being held up by the infighting among House Republicans and the resulting absence to have a House Speaker?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Under the leadership of President Joe Biden, the United States will continue to stand strongly and unequivocally behind Israel, Israel's right to defend itself until Israel is able to defeat Hamas decisively and put the country and the region on a path towards peace and stability. I'm thankful for the leadership of President Biden and what the administration has done to date using the authority that it currently has, over the next week or so it's my expectation that an additional supplemental appropriations request will be sent to the Congress for us to consider. And that's why it's so urgently necessary that the Republicans get their act together and elect a Speaker from within their own ranks, as it is the responsibility of the majority party to do, or have traditional Republicans break with the extremists within the House Republican Conference and partner with Democrats on a bipartisan path forward. We are ready, willing and able to do so. I know there are traditional Republicans who are good women and men who want to see government function, but they are unable to do it within the ranks of their own conference, which is dominated by the extremist wing. And that's why we continue to extend the hand of bipartisanship to them.
GEOFF BENNETT: So extending Ukraine funding is now a point of contention among House Republicans. Do you support the idea, as is being discussed, of linking aid to Israel with extended Ukraine funding as a strategy to have both priorities passed?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I think it's important for the Congress to meet the needs of the American people in the most comprehensive way possible. That involves ensuring that we are providing the state of Israel with the support that it needs to defeat Hamas and stabilize the situation in the region. But it also means that we should stand by the Ukrainian people in their courageous efforts to defeat Russian aggression in Europe, the largest conflict in Europe since World War Two. There are also some other national security priorities that may be important in an increasingly dangerous world that may be part of the request that the administration submits. And so we're taking a wait-and-see approach until the administration actually sends up the specifics of the request. But I do think, Geoff, that it should be comprehensive, which would include aid to Israel, aid to Ukraine, and aid to other allies within the free world to make sure that we are meeting the national security needs of the American people.
GEOFF BENNETT: Let's talk about this race to elect a new House Speaker. Even though Congressman Steve Scalise defeated Congressman Jim Jordan for the Republican nomination to be Speaker, he does not have the 217 votes that he would need of the full House to be to be elected. Still, though, is Steve Scalise someone who Democrats could work with? And is there any scenario under which Democrats would supply him the votes that he needs to be elected?
LEADER JEFFRIES: I've had a positive working relationship with Steve Scalise throughout the years. He obviously is very conservative and we have different values in terms of what we believe is right for the health, the safety, the economic well-being of the American people. But this is an issue right now for the Republicans to work out. It is the responsibility of the Republican majority to identify a Speaker who can both achieve 217 under the current number of people who are in the House or hold and maintain 217. And over the last week or so, the Republican majority has been unable to do either. And that's why we continue to offer a bipartisan path forward so we can restructure the rules of the House to enable common sense bipartisan legislation that has strong support from Democrats and Republicans to receive up or down votes without being blocked by the extreme MAGA Republican wing of the House Republican Conference. There is a real path and a real opportunity to be serious, to be substantive, to be sober in meeting the needs of the American people and our allies like Israel and Ukraine across the world. But we just need traditional Republicans to break from their extremist wing and join us in a bipartisan coalition.
GEOFF BENNETT: When you talk about this bipartisan path, are you talking about the fact that you would only need five House Republicans to join with the 212 Democrats and elect you House speaker? And we should say, there are 18 Republican Members who are— who have been elected from districts that Joe Biden won. Is that what you're speaking of?
LEADER JEFFRIES: No, because from the very beginning, we have said this should not be about any one particular individual and any one particular individual's aspirations to lead either House Democrats or House Republicans. This is about what is good for the American people, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans. That's why at this moment, we've got to find a way to come together, restructure the House in a bipartisan way, designed to allow for common sense things to come to the Floor, receive an up or down vote, for us to be able to actually move legislation that emerges from the Senate that is bipartisan in nature and Leader Schumer has done a tremendous job in working with Leader McConnell in that regard. And we want to get the House back on track, to function, and we can figure out a way to do it. We are inherently reasonable about what we think can occur, but we just require Republican partners in order to do it.
GEOFF BENNETT: Practically, though, how would this work? So there would be a Republican House Speaker, but Democrats would have, what, more more committee memberships, they'd have a greater say in how the functions of the Floor work?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, the details need to be negotiated in a good-faith fashion, and we are ready, willing and able to do just that. But first, we need Republicans to agree on the principle. And there are only two options here. The House can either continue to be driven by the most extreme members of the Republican Conference, or we can alter the legislative landscape in a structured way to facilitate bipartisan cooperation. I'm hopeful that my traditional Republican colleagues who are interested in governance, who care about the institution of the People's House, are willing to sit down and talk with us about finding an enlightened path, an agreement, that allows us to do the business of the American people and solve problems for hard-working American taxpayers.
GEOFF BENNETT: In the absence of that, as you well know, House paralysis will reach a tipping point if dysfunction and this deadlock continue. We have this November 17th government shutdown deadline. Is there a path forward?
LEADER JEFFRIES: I think there is a path forward because the matters that will be before us over the next few weeks are incredibly pressing. We have to provide full funding for the government so we can meet the needs of the American people and, of course, address our national security considerations and stand by our close friend and ally, Israel, during this urgent time of need after it has been brutally, unspeakably attacked by Hamas, an incredible terror visited upon the Israeli people in the most horrific way possible. And to make sure we can continue to stand with the Ukrainian people in their battle against Vladimir Putin and Russian aggression. These are urgent matters that require immediate attention. The Senate is out on recess this week, but they'll be back next week. And our hope is to have a fully functional House of Representatives as well so that we can meet the requests that come forth by President Biden, who is doing an incredible job at this very fragile moment in America and across the globe.
GEOFF BENNETT: Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, thanks again for your time this evening.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you.
Full interview can be watched here.