LEADER JEFFRIES: “WE WILL NOT SUPPORT A PARTISAN REPUBLICAN SPENDING BILL THAT CONTINUES TO GUT THE HEALTHCARE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE”

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference where he emphasized that Democrats will continue to push back against Republicans' unprecedented assault on the healthcare of the American people.

LEADER JEFFRIES: House and Senate Democrats have been very clear that we will support a bipartisan spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people in terms of their health, public safety and economic well-being, meaning legislation that makes life better for everyday Americans as opposed to continuing to make life more expensive for the American people. House Democrats have been clear that we will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of the American people. That's not a clean continuing resolution. It's a dirty spending bill and one that is unacceptable. This country is in the midst of a Republican assault on the healthcare of the American people. Republicans have ended Medicaid as we know it. Millions of people have lost or will lose access to their healthcare coverage.

We confront a possible cut to Medicare of $536 billion all across the country. As a result of the Republican assault on healthcare, hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health clinics are closing. Millions of Americans face the likelihood of dramatic increases in their healthcare premiums, co-pays and deductibles. Republicans have launched an unprecedented assault on medical research, including research for children with cancer, in addition to attacks on the Centers for Disease Control, vaccine availability and the public health infrastructure that has existed in the United States of America in order to keep the American people safe and healthy. Republicans have launched an unprecedented assault on the healthcare of the American people that is unconscionable and immoral. And it's our responsibility here in Washington to make sure that we aggressively push back against it.

Full press conference can be watched here.

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