Chairman Aguilar: Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one, and hardworking families have been pleading for Republicans to do just that and to keep his promise.

Chairman Aguilar: Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one, and hardworking families have been pleading for Republicans to do just that and to keep his promise.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, Vice Chair Ted Lieu and DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene held a press conference on Republicans' failure to work with Democrats to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits and lower costs for working families. You can watch the full press conference here and read the transcript below.

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Hello, everyone. I'm honored to be here with Vice Chair Ted Lieu and DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene after our meeting across the street this morning with our colleagues. As many of you know, for months Democrats have been sounding the alarm on the affordability crisis and the expiration of the Affordable Care Act tax credits that will expire at the end of the year at the hands of Republican leadership. We've reached out, proposed plans-anything we can do to get our colleagues in a position to work with us. We will meet with them anywhere, anytime, anyplace, if they come in good faith to work to extend these tax credits. But rather than accept the olive branch, Republicans have turned their backs on Congress and the American people across this country. Instead of doing what they know is right by their constituents and oftentimes what their own members are telling them, they are going to choose to kowtow to Donald Trump and the most extreme members of their own party.

Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one, and hardworking families have been pleading for Republicans to do just that and to keep his promise. But instead of offering real solutions and working with us to achieve lower costs, Congressional Republicans are putting on a show this week. Their bill-which may not even have the support of their entire conference-will not extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits and will not lower costs that families face. Even if it were to pass, it won't become law. This isn't a serious effort to address the rising costs of health care, and millions of Americans will now face $1,000 more in new costs thanks to Republicans. Meanwhile, Democrats on both sides of the Capitol have a solution we are on board with to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits and ensure that Americans' premiums don't double, triple or even quadruple. We only need four Republicans to join us. Time is still marching on while Republicans sit on their hands. The American people will pay the price for the inaction, and Republicans will no doubt pay a price at the ballot box next year. Next, I'll yield to Vice Chair Ted Lieu.

VICE CHAIR LIEU: Thank you, Chairman Aguilar. My heart goes out to the victims and the families and all those affected at the mass shooting at Brown University. I hope law enforcement catches the murderer soon and that that person is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I also request that the FBI director stop putting out false information. It's not the first time he's done it. He wrongly identified a potential suspect in this case. There's literally no reason for the FBI director to have to be the first one to tweet something, to put out these things before verifying the facts. When he does that, it ends up potentially ruining lives, putting the public at risk and it's not something that the FBI director needs to do. I asked him to just stop doing that. I also want to say that my prayers are with the Jewish community, both in the United States and across the world. The heinous attack in Australia is completely devastating. No one should ever be targeted because of their religious beliefs, especially when they're practicing those religious beliefs. Antisemitism, both in the U.S. and around the world, has continued to grow, and we need to do more to stamp this form of discrimination out-one of the oldest in humankind. It is a scourge upon humanity, and we need all work together to eradicate it.

Now, I'd like to talk about jobs. We've now reached the highest unemployment since 2021: 4.6 percent. The American people know that the policies of Trump and Republicans are crushing people economically. We know costs also continue to rise: grocery costs, electricity costs, as well as health care costs. And Republicans have had an entire year to fix the health care system. They knew that the ACA subsidies were expiring, and they've done nothing about it. And this week, they still don't have a plan to restore the subsidies for the ACA. Democrats have a discharge petition. 214 members have signed it. We just need four Republicans to sign this discharge petition, and we can stop these premium rates from increasing for people on the ACA. I have a great honor now to introduce our tremendous Field General and head of the DCCC, Suzan DelBene, from the great state of Washington.

DCCC CHAIR DELBENE: Good morning, everyone. Thanks to Chairman Aguilar and our Vice Chair Ted Lieu for inviting me today. Today, we had caucus down the street, and we gave an update on our efforts to retake the majority and hold Republicans accountable for their disastrous agenda. Americans across the country are rejecting Republicans in election after election this year. They have made clear that they are souring on House Republicans' broken promises, and it's just been a series of broken promises. The American people want leaders who are going to stand up for them, address the issues that are making their lives more unaffordable-not just policies that are supporting the wealthiest few. And despite what their constituents are telling them about how they are struggling, Republicans don't seem to care. They're avoiding people back home. They're not meeting with their constituents because they're scared and they don't want to hear the truth about how their policies are hurting working families.

No matter how hard they try to avoid hearing about it, there's no denying the facts that we've seen on the ground. Americans are literally paying a higher price for the GOP's failed agenda. Working families are being squeezed by rising grocery costs from tariffs. We're seeing monthly utility bills jump higher. Health care costs are going up, and premiums are poised to skyrocket for millions of people next year. The so-called health package that they're putting on the floor this week will do nothing to address the Republican health care crisis that they've created. Premiums will go up. Millions will be priced out of their coverage, and those who can still afford it will get less while paying more. Republicans are ignoring the pain-the pain we're seeing across the country for everyday Americans-and make no mistake, it is going to cost them the majority.

House Republicans and Donald Trump know they can't win on the issues, so they've turned to rigging the midterms instead in their desperate attempt to stay in power. But this cynical gambit by them isn't working either, and the American people hate what Republicans are trying to do. From California to Missouri, just last week in Indiana, people are fighting back against the Republican scheme to rig the midterm elections. And on issue after issue, we are seeing the American people sour on Republicans-rejecting their price hike policies and showing that they are ready for change. For people who will stand up for them.

House Democrats are fighting every day to win back the majority across the country. It's why we expanded our map of offensive opportunities last week. We are absolutely on the offense, and we expect to continue to look at opportunities to win races across the country. So simply put, we have incredible candidates, we are with the American people, have a strong message, public sentiment is on our side and next year, we will take back the majority in the House. Thank you, and I'll turn it back to the Chairman.

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