Chairman Aguilar: Cancel your vacation. Cancel these cuts. Lower costs. Save health care.

Chairman Aguilar: Cancel your vacation. Cancel these cuts. Lower costs. Save health care.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar joined Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and House Democrats for a press conference on the Republican manufactured health care crisis and impending Republican shutdown. You can watch the full press conference here and read the transcript below.

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Good morning. Thank you so much, Catharyne, for framing that discussion and ensuring we talk about your patients-the patients you serve and see every day. Thank you, Tony, for sharing your story and being honest about the decisions that families will have to make about whether to carry forward with their health care costs, whether to pay their health premiums or make difficult family decisions. And Theresa, thank you so much for taking care of your kids and being the anchor in the family that they need.

When House Republicans passed their Big Ugly Law, it was the biggest health care cut in the country that we have ever seen. The fallout was immediate and it was swift. Hospitals and clinics across this country began closing, patients started facing longer wait times and travel times, health care workers began losing their jobs and costs started to go up for everyone. At a time when Americans continue to struggle to afford everyday needs because of Donald Trump's tariffs, Republicans voted to take health care away, to make it an expense out of reach for so many. Damage has been done, but Republicans can still change course. Republicans control the House, they control the Senate and the White House. They could act right now to prioritize the health care of the American public.

That's why Democrats are in town. That's why Democrats are here. We're ready to work in a bipartisan way to keep government open, to lower costs and to save health care. For months, we have been sounding the alarm that the Republican health care crisis that has been manufactured by House Republicans needs to end. Democrats know that unless Congress acts right now to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, the dual health care and affordability crises will continue to get worse. These credits make health care less expensive for millions of Americans, when they otherwise wouldn't be able to afford it. Democrats are giving Republicans the opportunity to do the right thing-a second chance to fix the crisis that they've created.

Unfortunately, it seems Donald Trump and his Republican henchmen are hellbent on pushing us toward a government funding shutdown rather than saving health care for their constituents. We implore our Republican colleagues to change course, abandon that approach, put people first. Cancel your vacation. Cancel your vacation. Cancel these cuts. Lower costs. Save health care. Work with us-it's what the American people want. We will continue to work to ensure that Americans have the health care that they deserve. The health care that they have been promised. The health care that they have come to expect so they don't have to make difficult decisions that affect their families, that put their communities in jeopardy, so health care clinics don't close and more hospitals don't close their doors. That's what we're fighting for. If this shutdown continues, this will be on Republicans. Republicans in the Senate, Republicans in the House, Republicans that occupy the White House. This is a shutdown they will own. And the American people are paying attention. I am so proud to stand with our House colleagues to demand that House Republicans cancel their vacation, cancel the cuts, lower the costs and save health care. Thank you so much.

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