House Dem Leader Jeffries: All We Need Is Four Republicans To Join Us
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries calls on four Republicans to join him to stop President Trump’s “Big, eutiful” budget reconciliation package from passing its final vote.
HAKEEM JEFFRIES, HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: Good morning. We are here today, united as House Democrats, to make clear to the American people that every single House Democrat- – We stand up for your healthcare. – Stand up for your Medicaid, stand up for your Medicare. – Stand up for the Affordable Care Act. – Stand up for nutritional assistance for our children, our seniors, and our veterans. – Stand up for our hospitals, stand up for our nursing homes. – Stand up for our community-based health centers. – And stand up against massive tax breaks for GOP billionaire donors. And that is why every single House Democrat will vote hell no against this one big ugly bill. And all we need are House Republicans to join us in defense of their constituents who will suffer mightily from this bill. – Children will be hurt. – Families will be hurt. – People with disabilities will be hurt. – Women will be hurt by what is an all-out assault on the healthcare of the American people-an unprecedented assault ripping healthcare away from more than 17 million Americans. Premiums, co-pays, and deductibles for other people on private insurance will go up all across the country. – Hospitals will close. – Nursing homes will shut down. – Community-based clinics won’t have the ability to operate. And as a result, people are going to die-connected to this one big ugly bill. Tens of thousands of unnecessary American deaths per year. Shame on Republicans for even bringing this bill to the House floor. So all we need are four Republicans to join us in support of their constituents-to have John McCain-level courage-and stand up in defense of the healthcare of the American people. What type of party would bring a bill to the House floor that rips away Medicaid from those in need? What kind of party would bring a bill to the House floor that literally robs food from the mouths of children, veterans, and seniors? And all of this is being done to provide massive tax breaks to their billionaire donors. It’s unconscionable. It’s unacceptable. It’s un-American. And House Democrats are committing to you that we’re going to do everything in our power to stop it. And all we need are four Republicans-just four-to show John McCain-level courage. Just four. There’s 220 of them. All we need are four. And so all we have to do as a Congress is act in a manner consistent with the better angels of this country. Stand up for everyday Americans-not the wealthy, the well-off, and the well-connected. That’s what Republicans are doing in bringing this one big ugly bill to the House floor. Why would anyone vote for this dangerous and extreme bill?
