Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Rallies With New Yorkers to Call Out Trump and Washington Republicans’ Reckless Government Shutdown

Earlier today, Governor Hochul and New Yorkers rallied to call out President Trump and Washington Republicans for turning their backs on Americans and shutting down the federal government. After bending the knee to Trump's reckless trade war and devastating Big Ugly Bill, Republicans in Congress are once again abandoning their constituents to enact further pain and chaos at the behest of the Trump Administration.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor's Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

 First of all, I want to acknowledge the presence of some extraordinary leadership that we have here in the State of New York - starting with our Attorney General Tish James. She's on her way. Great entrance there, Attorney General. The leader of the New York State Senate, Andrea Stewart-Cousins. Mario Cilento, the unflappable leader of the AFL-CIO, and all my partners in state government, our elected senators, assemblymembers, and members of my cabinet. And other unions who are here, not just the AFL-CIO, but also 32BJ, HTC, CSA, PSC, as well as SOMOS Community Care.

Today, we gather with the Statue of Liberty looking out here in the harbor. When I look at the statue, I see the strength of a woman, I see the promise of a young country, and I see the hope of millions who found their way with what they thought was the promised land - a promised land to be governed as promised by our founding fathers by a functional federal government. Well, as much as she has stood there for 140 years with that eternal promise of freedom, fairness, and opportunity, we also look at her inscription. Many of us have it memorized - "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free." That encompasses the America we always believed we were. But today, the torch she holds as a beacon to others, a symbol could literally go dark.

Not because of an act of God or a horrific storm, or a flood hurricane, but literally because Donald Trump and the Republicans in Washington forced a government shutdown, extinguishing all hope that Washington could find a path to avoid inflicting pain on millions of Americans. And I want to be very clear: This shutdown is a choice - a deliberate decision by Donald Trump and the Republicans to abandon the very people they were sent to Washington to represent, and they alone are responsible for this. They hold all the leavers of power, the presidency, the Senate and the House of Representatives. So instead of governing, they abdicate their responsibility and abandon any chance at this time of real negotiation.

And today, as a result of this, they've unleashed chaos through millions of families across our great country in every single workplace in our communities. I'm not making this up. Donald Trump admitted this yesterday. He bragged that during a shutdown, his administration could do things that are irreversible - reduce the federal workforce, slash programs, take away benefits. That's not me saying it, that's Donald Trump. That's not leadership, that's cruelty. And it comes on top of nine long months of turmoil in our country, just remember three months ago when we heard the unbelievable news when they ran through that "Big Ugly Bill."

What did that do? It slashed food assistance, gutted healthcare. All so they could hand out tax breaks to their billionaire buddies. Literally taking from the poor to give to the rich. Meanwhile, we know this - our American families are already stretched so thin - sky high utility costs, childcare costs, rent that never seems to stop climbing, and now on top of it all - and this is what the fight is about - nearly 25 million Americans are set to have skyrocketing healthcare premiums that were afforded to them under the Affordable Care Act.

Now, let me get this right. We know this happened in Washington. We have seven Republican members of Congress who claim they represent New York. They have enough numbers, they have the power, and instead of exercising that power, they literally bow down to Donald Trump rather than listen to the cries for help from their constituents. In putting Donald Trump first, they put New Yorkers last. I know this, I spent some time in Congress - a lot happier now, for the record. Sometimes votes in Congress are hard. I know this. I had to vote 47 times as a new member of Congress to save the Affordable Care Act.

In the end, it was said that that probably cost my seat in Congress, given how conservative my district was, how much they hated the Affordable Care Act at the time, but it was the right thing to do. Republicans in Washington had that same opportunity. Instead, they choose to create chaos instead. And now the consequences of this shutdown are devastating.

2.8 million New Yorkers on SNAP. One in 10 people in our state will now struggle putting food on their tables. 442,000 women and children who depend on WIC could see their benefits cut. And over 100,000 federal workers right here in our state have either been furloughed or at risk of being furloughed and living without a paycheck, including dozens who work to keep our Statue of Liberty open. And some of them are with us here today. Think about that.

Public servants dedicated their lives to this country and now they're being told, "No paycheck, no certainty. Go figure it out on your own." That's the real human toll of this shutdown. And while Washington fails our families, New York is staying vigilant. We're closely monitoring all these cuts, watching what happens with SNAP, WIC, making sure we are keep New Yorkers informed. And we'll continue doing as we did with the legislature focusing on affordability. We have the inflation checks - thank God, arriving this month and next. We expanded the child tax credit, free school meals that people are saving their money on right now - every single day, I hear this on the streets of New York - and expanded tax cuts for working people. So all of us are joined here together, calling out this reckless shutdown and demanding that Republicans just do your jobs. Fund the essential programs and programs the services New Yorkers depend on.

And so importantly, just restore the premiums that New Yorkers have been able to use to help offset the high cost of healthcare. That was the promise of our federal government to its people just a few years ago, that access to healthcare for families and children was so essential. It's part of who we are as New Yorkers. And now they're taking away the ability to know that you can take care of your family when they get sick.

Without these subsidies, millions and millions of New Yorkers will see their premiums skyrocket - even up to $3,000 a year. Who has that money sitting there? New Yorkers don't. I've listened to them. We've all listened to them. They don't have that money sitting there. Just sometimes life is too damn hard. And now to have this pulled out from under them. With the other cuts coming - let's just talk about what happened yesterday. Who knows what's happening tomorrow? Cutting $187 million, defunding our police and fire department here in New York City that protect us from possible terrorism attacks. My God, you can't make this up. And it's going to other cities and states that have never even seen or witnessed or experienced the cruelty of terrorism. A $750 million cut to healthcare this year alone. We're struggling to figure out how to pay for that - anticipating the $3 billion cut next year, all for healthcare.

So the point of me saying that, is that we're not in a position to bail out the federal government. We're just not. No more bailouts for Republicans in Washington to ease the pain that they've unleashed on New Yorkers. No more cleaning up their mess. No more footing the bill for Donald Trump's recklessness.

So tonight, when people look out on the harbor, see that Statue of Liberty, searching for that torch light - I don't know if it's going to be on or not - but that symbolizes all that is great about America or so we thought, and it has great risk of being extinguished and when that happens, know the truth. It was Republicans who did this, who've done this all over America.

Let me conclude with this. I am sad to say this, but America has not been made great again. We are greater when our federal government, our elected leaders actually care about people. We are greater when our government provides healthcare and nutrition to families. When we cared about seniors and veterans and farmers, and we kept law abiding immigrant families together, not ripped apart. That compact that we always had has been abandoned, shredded by Donald Trump and every Republican who's complicit in dismantling our government.

Here in New York, we stand with Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who right now as we speak, are leading the fight in Washington to restore some sense of sanity, saying, "Enough is enough," as we fight these fights here on the home front. We're not going to let Donald Trump and these Republicans extinguish the values that our Statue of Liberty symbolizes. And if her flame does go dark here in New York, we know what we must do. We will pick up that torch, we'll hold it high, make sure it shines brightly at the symbol of the compassion and the fairness and opportunity that have always been represented by this incredible symbol.

This is personal to us. The Statue of Liberty stands in our harbor, and that fact alone defines our destiny to protect her and all she stands for. We have a moral duty to guard her legacy and everything she symbolizes. And in so doing, we'll create our own legacy as defenders, protectors, and fighters.

Are you ready for this fight? I'm ready for this fight. I know I am. And don't mess with New Yorkers. Thank you very much.

Contact the Governor's Press Office