Democratic Caucuses Stand Up for Health Care

On Tuesday, Sept. 30 the Chairs of the Congressional Tri-Caucus - including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) - together with leaders of the Democratic Women's Coalition (DWC), the New Democrat Coalition, the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) and the Congressional Equality Caucus (CEC) held a press conference to highlight how Republicans are shutting down the government to safeguard their assault on American health care.

Watch the full press conference on YouTube

Here are some highlights from the press conference:

"This Republican shutdown is all based on a lie told by Speaker Johnson and Vice President Vance. They incorrectly state undocumented people are eligible for health care subsidies. That is a lie," said CHC Chair Rep. Adriano Espaillat. "So we are here. They are the majority in the House of Representatives, they are the majority in the Senate, they control the White House and some say they also control the Supreme Court. They have absolute control of government. This shutdown is the Republican shutdown."

"The Republican assault on health care is unlike anything we have ever seen before. They are single-handedly responsible for the largest cut to Medicaid in U.S. history - a lifeline for 4.5 million Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) - and now they're raising health care premiums for 1.5 million AANHPI adults, just so their billionaire donors can get a tax cut," said CAPAC Chair Rep. Grace Meng. "Democrats have been ready to negotiate a funding bill that protects Americans' health care and keeps the government open, but Republicans are nowhere to be found. They have completely abdicated their responsibility to govern and are barreling our country toward a shutdown. This is a crisis of their own making, and CAPAC will not let AANHPI communities be used as pawns in their political games."

"We are facing a healthcare crisis manufactured by the Republican Party - marked by the largest proposed cuts to Medicaid and Medicare in our nation's history," said CBC Chair Rep. Yvette D. Clarke. "Once again, it is Black communities who stand to suffer the most. The Congressional Black Caucus will not support any spending bill that strips healthcare from millions, slashes federal jobs, and drives up the cost of living for working families. And to our Republican colleagues, let me be clear: Enough is enough. Work with us on a bipartisan solution that protects the people - not one that causes maximum harm to the very communities that have long sustained this country."

"Listen, women work hard and are the key caregivers in their families. When there is a crisis at their house, with their families, what do they do? They stick with it until they solve it. Our country has a health care crisis, and what did Republicans do? They fled town. They do not care about their voters," said DWC Chair Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández. "And that's the difference: we see America, every part of America, blue America, red America, rural America, urban America, as part of our family. And so we are going to do everything we can to solve this crisis that our family is facing."

"We face a dual crisis: costs are too high, and health care is unaffordable. Democrats are fighting to lower costs and protect healthcare," said New Democrat Coalition Chair Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10). "We're here, we're ready, but Republicans are nowhere to be found. Our Republican colleagues need to put the American people above their own extreme agenda, come back to D.C. and work with us to get this done."

"There are more mentions of Donald Trump in the Epstein Files than there are House Republicans in D.C. to keep the government open. Unlike Republicans, House Democrats are willing to stand up and fight to make sure working people can afford health insurance," said CPC Chair Rep. Greg Casar.

"We are a powerful coalition. We represent America. And we're here to speak with one voice: Republicans created this mess and then fled town, but Democrats are in D.C. working to protect Americans' healthcare," said CEC Co-Chair Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL). "As a proud member of the LGBTQI+ community, I am angry yet unsurprised to see Trump attempt to blame this shutdown crisis on trans people. He's using tactics to get us to rage against each other. The American people know that while Trump is playing games with our lives, Democrats are working to keep the government open and protecting Americans' healthcare."