LEADER JEFFRIES IN BUFFALO: “WE’RE GOING TO FIGHT TO MAKE HEALTHCARE AFFORDABLE FOR EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN”

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined Rep. Tim Kennedy and local leaders for a press conference, where he emphasized that House Democrats remain united in the fight against Republican efforts to rip healthcare away from everyday Americans and will continue working to lower the high cost of living.

LEADER JEFFRIES: What an honor to be here in the great city of Buffalo with your Congressman Tim Kennedy, who represents this community in such a phenomenal way. I think he's one of the hardest-working Congressmembers in the United States of America. I call him Timmy on the spot because he's always present, always fighting for all of you, always lifting up your voices and fighting to make sure that the quality of life here in Western New York can be the best possible quality of life here in our great country.

It's certainly good to be back here in the 716 area code. I'm from Brooklyn. That's the 718 area code. And even though our area codes may be different, the issues that you confront here in Buffalo, that we confront in Brooklyn, that the American people are confronting all across this nation, remain the same. Life has become too expensive. Healthcare, of course, inaccessible in ways that should not be the case here in the wealthiest country in the history of the world. And we're in the midst of the largest assault on healthcare in modern American history. Thankful, of course, for the work that's done here at this amazing clinic by Ray and this great team. Thankful for Pastor Blue and your leadership and all the advocates who are here today and the people who have come together on one accord to make it clear we're going to cancel the cuts, we're going to lower costs and we're going to save healthcare in the United States of America.

In the midst of this great assault on healthcare, the One Big Ugly Bill included a $1 trillion cut to Medicaid, the largest cut to Medicaid or healthcare in American history, putting hospitals and nursing homes and community health centers like this at great risk. And we know, in fact, many are beginning to close all across the country, including in rural America. Republicans refused to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, putting in jeopardy the healthcare of more than 20 million hardworking American taxpayers all across the country, including right here in Western New York and in some cases resulting in premium increases of as much as $1,000 a month on working-class New Yorkers, middle-class New Yorkers and everyday Americans.

The same group of extremists, led by the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue-they have launched an assault on medical research, an assault on the Centers for Disease Control, an assault on the National Institutes of Health, an assault on the Food and Drug Administration, an assault on vaccine availability and an assault on public health here in the United States of America. But they thought the American people would step back. We're not going to step back. We're going to fight back. And make it clear: hands off Medicaid, hands off Medicare, hands off the Affordable Care Act and hands off the healthcare of the American people.

This is the wealthiest country in the history of the world. And as House Democrats, we're going to fight to bring a reality to life that in this country, access to high-quality, affordable healthcare cannot simply be a privilege available only to the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected. Access to high-quality, affordable healthcare must be a right available to every single American.And that's what we're going to fight to bring to life here in Western New York and all across the country.

98 days until we can change direction in the United States of America. 98 days for all of us to show up and stand up and speak up to make this country the best version of herself. And I'm confident that that's exactly what's going to happen. We're going to fight for an affordable America. We are going to fight to lower the cost of groceries and gas and housing. We're going to fight to make healthcare affordable for every single American. And at the same period of time, we're going to combat the corruption, the folks who are stealing from you to enrich themselves. And we have a message for those folks who were doing that: on day one of a new Democratic majority, we're going to hold the crooks accountable.

So it's an honor to be back here in Western New York, this great all-American city of Buffalo. I'm a long-suffering Jets fan, y'all, so I wish you all well. Now, long-suffering means we regularly lose to the Buffalo Bills. But as New York's only resident football team, I got nothing but love for the Buffalo Bills. And certainly, after the Knicks won the championship, we're looking forward to what comes next in Western New York. And together, together, we'll do all that's necessary to cancel the cuts, lower the cost, save healthcare. Keep your hands off of our Medicaid. Thank you very much.

Full remarks can be watched here.

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