LEADER JEFFRIES BLASTS THE GOP’S ONE BIG UGLY BILL ON HOUSE FLOOR:”AS DEMOCRATS, WE’RE COMMITTEDTO ACTUALLY SOLVING PROBLEMS”

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke on the House Floor, where he emphasized that while Republicans are celebrating legislation that harms their own constituents, Democrats are focused on the health, safety and economic well-being of the American people.

LEADER JEFFRIES: We're here on the House Floor debating this resolution that Republicans have introduced on Tax Day to celebrate themselves. This is an extraordinary thing. I've seen a lot during my time here in the United States Congress for more than 10 years. I have never seen a resolution introduced by Members of Congress, let alone a party, the Republican Party, to celebrate yourselves for a bill that has damaged the American people. But if you're around this town long enough, I guess you see it all. So I'm confused with H. Res 1156 because the first clause says, "Whereas on July 4, 2025, the President signed Public Law 119-21, commonly known as the Working Families Tax Cuts." Commonly known to who? Let's be clear with the American people, Republicans have made up that name. Why? Because the bill, the actual name of the bill in Public Law 119-21 is the One Big Beautiful Bill. It is deeply unpopular with the American people, who know it's been a disaster.

Now, I have respect for the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. He recently just called it the One Big Beautiful Bill. I'm not sure you're allowed to do that, sir. Because Donald Trump has made clear, walk away from that name that he gave [to the bill himself]. Why? Because the American people understand it's been a disaster. And the American people know that this resolution is not worth the paper that it is written on. It does nothing. It doesn't have the force of law and does nothing to keep the promises that Donald Trump made to the American people that on day one of his presidency, he was going to lower costs. But here in America, Mr. Speaker, costs haven't gone down. Costs have gone up because of decisions that Donald Trump and Republicans have made to hurt the American people. The Trump tariffs have cost everyday Americans thousands of dollars in additional expense per year. That's an affirmative decision to hurt the American people.

Mr. Speaker, Republicans have refused to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. And as a result of that very decision, more than 20 million Americans are experiencing dramatically increased health insurance premiums, in some cases, costs having increased by over $1,000 per month. That's an affirmative decision that Republicans have made to increase costs. And now, there's a reckless war of choice that has been raging in the Middle East. More than a dozen brave American heroes have already lost their lives. Hundreds have been seriously injured. Billions of taxpayer dollars are being spent per day to drop bombs in the Middle East, and yet, Republicans are unwilling to spend a dime to make life more affordable for the American people. In fact, this reckless war of choice, this Trump-Republican war over in the Middle East has skyrocketed gas prices all across America. More than four dollars a gallon, largest increase in gas prices on a monthly basis in more than 60 years. Republicans have done that to the American people. And so, in the face of such policy failure and the One Big Ugly Bill being such a disaster, we have this resolution in front of us, not worth the paper that it's written on. Doesn't even reference the name of the bill that was passed. Why is that? Because Republicans are trying to hide what has been done to the American people. Let me just briefly talk about five different things that are in the One Big Ugly Bill that have caused real harm.

One, the One Big Ugly Bill contained the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, almost a trillion-dollar cut to Medicaid, and as a result of that, almost 14 million Americans at risk of losing [their] health insurance because of the bill that Republicans are celebrating on the Floor here today. And as a result of that Medicaid cut, the largest in history, hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health centers are at risk of closing all across the country, including in rural America as a result of the legislation that Republicans are celebrating here on the Floor today, though they're running away from the name of the bill because it's such a disaster.

Second problem with the legislation that Republicans are celebrating on the Floor today is in that One Big Ugly Bill, they cut $186 billion, Mr. Speaker, Republicans cut $186 billion in nutritional assistance, the largest cut to SNAP in American history, literally ripping food from the mouths of hungry children, seniors and veterans in this One Big Ugly Bill. And now my Republican colleagues have the nerve to come on the Floor today with this resolution and celebrate that?

Third problem with the bill, amongst many, is that after cutting Medicaid, ripping healthcare away from the American people, stealing food from the mouths of hungry children, seniors and veterans, $75 billion in taxpayer money was set aside in a slush fund so that ICE can brutalize and, in some cases, kill American citizens. $75-billion slush fund for ICE in this One Big Ugly Bill that Republicans are on the Floor celebrating today. Active harm being done to the American people, including resulting in the deaths, the cold-blooded killing of two American citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti.

Fourth problem with this bill, on Tax Day, is that the beneficiaries of this legislation-every economist who [has] studied this legislation knows that it overwhelmingly and disproportionately benefits the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected. In fact, the American people know it, which is why this resolution doesn't even make mention of the official name of the bill because Republicans are running away from it. But the bottom line is Medicaid was cut, nutritional assistance was cut, ICE was given this slush fund of $75 billion and billionaire donors to the Republican Party were given massive tax breaks that they did not need and do not deserve, in an environment where working families, everyday Americans, middle class Americans, working class Americans are struggling to make ends meet, can't thrive and can barely survive. And yet what was done in this One Big Ugly Bill that Republicans are celebrating on the Floor today? Massive tax breaks to Republican billionaire donors. Not making life more affordable to the American people, because the American people know that life has become more expensive, not less, under Donald Trump's presidency and failed Republican policies.

Fifth problem, amongst many, is that for years, Republicans have portrayed themselves, Mr. Speaker, as the party of fiscal responsibility. This is one of the most fiscally irresponsible bills-being celebrated on the Floor today-by Republicans ever to pass the United States Congress, going all the way back to 1789. Legislation that increased the debt by more than $4 trillion to give ICE a $75-billion slush fund, to cut Medicaid, to rip food from the mouths of children and to subsidize the lifestyles of the rich and shameless. This is nothing to celebrate here on the Floor today.

And so, I'm thankful to Mike Thompson, my colleague, distinguished Members of the Ways and Means Committee for communicating to the American people the truth. We will be opposing this resolution, a resolution not worth the paper that it's written on, something that doesn't even have the force of law, because as Democrats, we're committed to actually solving problems for the American people, for making life more affordable for the American people, for ending this reckless war of choice in the Middle East that has skyrocketed gas prices, to fix our broken healthcare system, reverse these Medicaid cuts that are part of this One Big Ugly Bill, extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits and actually commit to doing things-legislating, not pontificating-legislating in ways that make life better for the American people. I yield back.

Full Floor speech can be watched here.

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