LEADER JEFFRIES: “HOUSE REPUBLICANS, WELCOME BACK FROM YOUR TAXPAYER-FUNDED SEVEN-WEEK VACATION”

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press availability with Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Members of the Rules Committee, where he emphasized that House Democrats are committed to protecting healthcare as they negotiate to reopen the government.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Let me first welcome House Republicans back to the Congress after their seven-week taxpayer-funded vacations. These people have been missing in action, absent without official leave, running scared, but they can no longer hide. The Rules Committee is going to meet shortly, and then tomorrow, there will be votes on the House Floor. And Democrats will continue to press the case to say to our Republican colleagues, you have another opportunity to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits and make sure that tens of millions of Americans all across the country, in communities that Republicans represent, along with us as Democrats, tens of millions of Americans, rural America, working-class America, urban America, small town America, the heartland of America and in Black and brown communities all across America. People at risk of experiencing dramatically increased premiums, copays and deductibles because of the Republican refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.

Before the Rules Committee this evening, House Democrats, led by myself and Whip Katherine Clark, will give the Republicans another opportunity to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits by introducing an amendment that will extend these tax credits for a three-year period of time, the same period of time that these tax credits were extended back in 2022. Republicans have created a healthcare crisis all across America, the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. Hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health centers closing all throughout the country because of what Republicans did in their One Big Ugly Bill. Medicare still at risk of the largest cut it may confront in American history unless Congress acts by the end of this year. And, of course, because of the Republican refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis that already exists, that they failed to address, healthcare for people all across this country is on the brink of becoming unaffordable. Working-class Americans, everyday Americans, middle-class Americans, unable to afford to go see a doctor. This is in America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world. And so, once again, House Republicans, welcome back from your taxpayer-funded seven-week vacation. You now have an opportunity to actually take some action in an area of this healthcare crisis by working with Democrats before the Rules Committee this evening to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.

[…] I thank the distinguished Members of the Rules Committee, as well as my good friend Katherine Clark, for their comments, for their leadership. Democrats have been engaged in the struggle on behalf of the healthcare of the American people for a long time. FDR engaged in this struggle. Johnson engaged in this struggle. Truman engaged in this struggle. Bill Clinton engaged in this struggle. Barack Obama engaged in this struggle. House Democrats are here to continue to engage in this struggle to decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis, standing on the shoulders of Democrats, who for decades have been fighting to deliver affordable, high-quality healthcare for the American people.

Full press availability can be watched here.

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