LEADER JEFFRIES: “MIKE JOHNSON ADMITTED THAT REPUBLICANS ARE WILLING TO STARVE HUNGRY CHILDREN”

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference, where he emphasized that Democrats remain ready, willing and able to negotiate a bipartisan agreement to reopen the government and lower costs as Republicans continue pushing forward their unprecedented cuts to healthcare and nutritional assistance.

LEADER JEFFRIES: This is day 30 of the Trump-Republican shutdown and House Republicans remain on vacation. They've canceled votes for five consecutive weeks. House Republicans are missing in action, yet Speaker Mike Johnson is saying the quiet part out loud. It's extraordinary that earlier today, Mike Johnson admitted that Republicans are willing to starve hungry children in this country and take away SNAP benefits starting on November 1st so they can pressure Democrats into gutting the healthcare of the American people. That's what Mike Johnson admitted to just a little while ago. That's extraordinary. But it's what we know to be the case for Republicans. From the very beginning of this presidency, cruelty has been the point, and what has been driving their policy agenda is to make life better for the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected. That's what the One Big Ugly Bill was all about. Largest cut to Medicaid in American history. Ripping food away from the mouths of children, seniors, veterans and families. And all of this was done to provide massive tax breaks to their billionaire donors.

And now, as we approach November 1st just two days from now the beginning of open enrollment, tens of millions of Americans, including many in the state of Louisiana, are about to experience dramatically-increased premiums, co-pays and deductibles that will bankrupt them because of Republican refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. Democrats will continue to stand up for everyday Americans, for working-class Americans and for middle-class Americans, for the poor, the sick and the afflicted, for the least, the lost and the left-behind throughout this country. We're in this fight until we win this fight because we know we're on the right side of this fight for the American people to protect their healthcare and to stop these cruel Republicans from ripping SNAP benefits away from the American people.

Full press availability can be watched here.

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