Chairman Aguilar: Even as the government closes, Democrats will continue to keep fighting. I hope our Republican colleagues will finally wake up and join us.

Chairman Aguilar: Even as the government closes, Democrats will continue to keep fighting. I hope our Republican colleagues will finally wake up and join us.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and Vice Chair Ted Lieu held a press conference about the Republican shutdown and Republicans' refusal to negotiate with Democrats and protect Americans' health care. You can watch the full press conference here and read the transcript below.

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Good morning. Pleased to be joined with Vice Chair Ted Lieu, as always. At midnight, the federal government officially shut down because Republicans failed to fix the health care crisis that they created. This is a sad, serious and somber moment for the country. Americans are already facing a dual affordability and health care crisis thanks to Donald Trump's tariffs and Republicans' Big Ugly Law. And now, because Republicans refuse to come to the table and negotiate with Democrats, Americans could suffer even more. We were elected to solve the problems of this country, not make them worse. And that's exactly what Donald Trump and his Republican henchmen are seeking to do. From the beginning of the Trump Administration, Republicans have shown us that they have made their priorities clear. First, their signature legislative achievement-Republicans passed the largest cut of health care in American history, all to provide a tax benefit to wealthy corporations and billionaires. I wish that it was an exaggeration, but it's the truth.

Democrats didn't greenlight these cruel, costly health care cuts, and now we continue to stand against them. Preserving and expanding access to quality, affordable care has always been House Democrats' top priority. It should come as no surprise to Republicans that we wouldn't support their agenda that dismantles health care, makes it more expensive and puts it out of reach for hardworking families. That's why we've done everything in our power to give Republicans the opportunity to do the right thing, to join with us, to work, to collaborate, to have conversations, to have bipartisan funding bills that look out for the economic well-being of the country. We even laid out our own plan that keeps the government open while ensuring Americans could keep their health care, afford medications and continue to see their doctors. Even as the government closes, Democrats will continue to keep fighting. I hope our Republican colleagues will finally wake up and join us. Vice Chair Ted Lieu.

VICE CHAIR LIEU: Thank you, Chairman Aguilar. Today is day one of the Republican shutdown. Republicans control the White House, the Senate and the House. Democrats are here working on behalf of the American people. We're fighting to lower costs, cancel the cuts and to save health care. And where are House Republicans? They are on vacation. We are asking Speaker Johnson to bring back House Republicans right now so we can work together to not have this government shutdown. It is now a very bad time to have a government shutdown because we are in a very bad economy. We know that unemployment has now hit near four-year highs. We know inflation has continued to rise this year, and we just learned today from payroll processor ADP that private sector jobs, which were expected to increase by 50,000 last month, instead decreased by 32,000. Trump's economy is crushing Americans financially. House Republicans need to come back, work with Democrats and stop this Republican shutdown.

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