Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Whip Katherine Clark, Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu, Assistant Leader Joe Neguse and DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene held a press conference to highlight Democrats’ continued commitment to fighting for an affordable America and pushing back against the extremism of Donald Trump and congressional Republicans.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you, Chairman Aguilar, and thank you, Vice Chair Lieu, for your leadership and for bringing us together at the 2026 Issues Conference. We gather, of course, in the immediate aftermath of the so-called State of the Union address that took place last night. That was a disgraceful performance. Donald Trump hit a new low. He didn’t communicate anything meaningful to the American people. There was no substance in that speech, but a lot of snake oil. No vision for the future of the country, but a lot of vitriol. There were no policy prescriptions designed to make life better for everyday Americans, but it was full of partisanship. That State of the Union speech by Donald Trump was a disgrace. And now that we’re on the other side of it, it’s going to be a sprint to November 3rd. House Democrats are on the verge of a takeover. The break’s over for these MAGA extremists. It’s over. Because the American people know that Donald Trump and House Republicans have failed the American people. They failed on the economy. They failed on healthcare. They failed on immigration enforcement. They failed to make life better for everyday Americans, breaking every single promise that they made, including, most significantly, that they were gonna lower costs on day one. Costs haven’t gone down, as Vice Chair Lieu explained, costs have gone up. Out of control. Far too many people struggling here in America to live paycheck to paycheck, cannot thrive and can barely survive.
And so we’re here at this issues conference to talk amongst each other and with outside stakeholders and experts about a bold, meaningful, transformational path forward to address the Republican affordability crisis here in America and make life better for working-class Americans, for middle-class Americans and for everyday Americans who we’re committed to fighting for each and every day to drive down the high cost of living, to fix our broken healthcare system and to deliver an immigration enforcement approach that is fair, just and meaningful, that doesn’t target—violently—American citizens or law-abiding immigrant families, but targets violent felons who are here unlawfully. We believe that the best is yet to come in this country, but it won’t be delivered by Donald Trump and Republican sycophants in the House and in the Senate. It will come when Democrats take back control of the House, laying a foundation to end this national nightmare in the United States of America and continue our country’s march toward a more perfect union.
Full press availability can be watched here.
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