Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)
Rep. Estes Applauds Ways and Means Tax Legislation Vote
WASHINGTON – After about 18 hours of debate in the Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) voted to advance the tax provisions as part of the full budget reconciliation bill. The tax legislation included several priorities from Rep. Estes.
“The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was a boon for families, small businesses, and our national economy, and allowing key provisions to expire would be devastating for Kansans,” said Rep. Estes. “I was pleased that our bill makes the lower tax rates for all Americans permanent, as well as extending and expanding the critical Child Tax Credit and increased standard deduction that benefits Kansas families and workers. Knowing that Americans are innovators and the need to encourage growth in the United States, the Ways and Means Committee included several of my priorities, including immediate expensing for research and development, tax parity for music creators and biofuel producers, and provisions that promote global competitiveness.”
The tax legislation will be combined with the work from the other committees of jurisdiction, where it will then be marked up by the House Budget Committee, where Rep. Estes also serves.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), who serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means and as the Senior Democrat on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee, voted against legislation offered by Republicans on the Ways and Means Committee that would cut taxes for the wealthy while doing little for regular people, and even raising taxes for many working Americans.
Beyer said:
“Democrats relentlessly fought for over 17 hours to protect Americans’ health care, lower costs, and support working people, while Republicans just as relentlessly fought to protect the wealthy.
“At every turn, Republicans voted down amendments designed to prevent the majority of benefits of their tax bill from flowing to rich people. They defeated amendments to close the carried interest loophole, and to resume pre-Trump tax rates for the highest income bracket. They voted to protect an expansion of the estate tax, a tax cut that only benefits a small number of estates worth over $25 million, at a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars. Republicans even rejected an amendment that would simply have blocked their tax cuts from benefitting billionaires.
“At the same time, Republicans rejected Democratic amendments to protect Americans’ health care. As new, nonpartisan estimates show nearly 14 millions at risk of losing coverage from this legislation, Republicans voted against amendments to prevent these life-threatening cuts. They also rejected our amendments to stop Trump’s trade war and stop attacks on American energy, effectively voting to sustain higher prices, destroy the American clean energy industry, and raise everyone’s electric bill in the process.
“The biggest surprise of the markup came when JCT distribution tables, delayed by Republicans’ massive last-minute changes to the bill, revealed that tens of millions of working Americans will actually see a tax increase the year Trump leaves office under Republicans’ bill. This is largely because they made provisions like addressing taxes on tips and overtime pay temporary, as opposed to the cuts for the richest 1%, which they made permanent. The unavoidable truth is that Republicans’ core priority with this legislation was to benefit the wealthy at the expense of everyone else, and that is exactly what their bill does.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)
Last night in the House Agriculture Committee markup of the partisan reconciliation bill, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) spoke out against Republicans’ proposal to slash $300 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In her opening remarks, Pingree questioned how leaving Americans with fewer tools to feed their families affordably and healthily, further straining our health care system and driving up costs for everyone, will “Make America Healthy Again.”
Pingree’s full opening remarks are availablehereand copied below.
The Committee will reconvene today to debate amendments. Tune in live here.
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Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I’m fortunate to have served on this committee for more than a decade. During that time, I’ve had the opportunity and the great privilege to work on bipartisan Farm Bills that are designed to strengthen our agricultural sector, to support our farmers, and to help hungry people access food. So, I am deeply disappointed that we’re sitting here tonight not doing that but debating a bill that will gut the single largest anti-hunger program in America.
Frankly, I can’t believe we are trying to shove the Farm Bill into the reconciliation process, stripping this committee of the chance of a truly bipartisan Farm Bill.
And let’s not sugarcoat what this bill is. It’s a $300 billion assault on struggling families, seniors, children, and veterans, all to fund tax breaks for billionaires and corporations.
The average SNAP benefit is $6 a day, $6 a day. That is barely enough to buy a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk. And if this bill passes, some of the most vulnerable people in America will be denied even that. Make no mistake, this will lead to more kids going to bed hungry, more seniors skipping meals to afford their medicine, and more parents forced to sacrifice their own nutrition so their kids can eat.
In my state, 175,000 people rely on SNAP to put food on the table, including over 36,000 children and 6,300 veterans. That’s tens of thousands of Mainers who stand to lose their benefits under this proposal. 1 in 5 children in Maine struggles with food insecurity. That’s 1 in 5. And it’s not just individuals who will suffer. The bill threatens the very businesses that keep our rural communities alive.
More than 1,500 retailers in Maine – grocery stores, corner markets, and mom and pop shops – rely on SNAP sales to stay open. When you cut SNAP, you don’t just take food off the table, you rip the economic rug out from under those businesses in the communities they support.
And then there’s the unfunded mandate that this bill dumps on Maine. My Republican colleagues call this “cost shifting,” but they are forcing states to pay at least 5% – and in many cases, much more of the cost – of supporting SNAP. So, let’s just call that what it really is: a backdoor way of sending this program into a death spiral, pushing the blame for the inevitable wave of hunger and hardship under governors and state legislatures.
It cuts programs like the National Education, Obesity and Prevention Grant program, commonly known as Snap Ed. Snap ed helps families make their SNAP dollars stretch further. It teaches people how to make nutritious meals using SNAP funds. In Maine, this program has reached nearly 20,000 people with free classes and cooking, budgeting, and healthy eating. Eliminating these services will leave families with fewer tools to feed their families affordably and healthily, further straining our health care system and driving up costs for everyone.
Tell me, is this really making America healthy again?
This … bill is not about reducing “waste” or fixing “fraud” or finding errors. It’s all about sacrificing the health and well-being of the most vulnerable, most vulnerable amongst us, so that billionaires like Elon Musk can get even richer. It’s about taking food out of the hands of hungry children, cutting off lifelines to families in need, and shattering the basic safety net that millions of Americans rely on.
We should be writing a Farm Bill that supports our local farmers, strengthens rural economies, and ensures that no one in this country goes hungry. Instead, this proposal sacrifices families and communities for short term political win.
So, for me tonight, I’m a no. Tomorrow I’m a no. Every day from now until whenever my Republican colleagues come to their senses and do what right is right for America and for the people who are their constituents, I will stay a no on this bill.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) signed a discharge petition to force a House vote to protect Medicaid and food assistance from Republicans’ devasting budget cuts.
“The reckless Republican budget has over $1 trillion in cuts to basic essential programs that millions of everyday Americans depend on,” Rep. Meeks said. “Among the benefits on the chopping block are Medicaid and SNAP. Trump and his minions are willing to take health coverage and food assistance away from children, seniors and veterans. The people in my district and across the country want Republicans to keep their hands off their vital services. I implore my Republican colleagues to listen to their constituents and join Democrats in forcing an up-or-down vote on the Hands Off Medicaid and SNAP Act. We must keep these lifeline services intact.”
In NY-05, the Republican budget puts 312,918 people at risk of losing Medicaid coverage and would impact 86,000 people who count on SNAP to put food on the table for their families.
A discharge petition allows lawmakers to bypass House leadership and bring a bill directly to the floor. If four House Republicans sign this discharge petition, the Hands Off Medicaid and SNAP Act would be considered in the House immediately.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) joined 14 of his Democratic colleagues in the New York Congressional delegation in sending a letter to Secretary Doug Collins of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), to strongly oppose the proposed staffing cuts and budget changes to the agency that will threaten the well-being of those who have served the nation. Standing united with his peers, Rep. Meeks demands that Secretary Collins immediately reverse course on his plans to reshape the VA to the detriment of our veterans.
“Veterans hospitals play a critical role in supporting individuals who served our country,” Congressman Meeks said. “These facilities are not just places for medical treatment, they serve as lifelines providing specialized care tailored to the unique needs of veterans. It is unfathomable that the Trump Administration is willing to cut the budget and scale back on the trained professionals who understand what patients are going through and can offer effective treatment to our war heroes.”
With plans to downsize the workforce by over 15%, proposed cuts will force veterans to withstand longer appointment wait times, benefit delays, and reduced patient-provider interactions. As healthcare, housing, and other veteran services continue to be defunded and stripped of support, these existing struggles will only be exacerbated following the implementation of Secretary Collins’ proposed changes. The lawmakers argue that these mass firings would threaten the department’s fundamental purpose—to provide veterans with timely, quality, equitable, and individual-centered healthcare, benefits, and housing resources.
The St. Albans VA Medical Center stands in New York’s 5th congressional district, providing veterans with primary and specialty healthcare services. Proposed cuts will threaten the accessibility of timely and comprehensive healthcare for constituents of the 5th District. Congressman Meeks condemns this looming threat and urges Secretary Collins to consider the consequences of his proposed changes to the VA to protect our veteran residents and those across the country who deserve efficient and stable support.
A total of 15 lawmakers signed the letter. In addition to Rep. Meeks, the following members joined in signing: Representatives Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Timothy Kennedy (NY-26), George Latimer (NY-16), John Mannion (NY-22), Grace Meng (NY-06), Joseph Morelle (NY-25), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Josh Riley (NY-19), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07).
Full text of the letter is provided below:
Dear Secretary Collins:
We write as Members of the New York Congressional delegation to strongly oppose the proposed staffing cuts and benefits changes to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) that threaten the well-being of those who have bravely served our nation. This proposal would cut 80,000 employees – over 15% of the VA’s total workforce – who help provide health care, housing, and other services to our veterans,[1] including more than a quarter of whom are veterans themselves.[2] We urge you to immediately reverse course on the proposed firings and ensure that the more than 688,000 veterans in New York State receive timely care, benefits, and peace of mind.
VHA facilities reported a total of 2,959 severe occupational staffing shortages nationwide in fiscal year 2024. New York facilities reported at least 143 severe staffing shortages.[3] New York’s VA facilities have already suffered after the dismissal of more than 1,000 probationary employees nationwide.[4]
These shortages and firings have directly affected care quality by leading to reduced patient-provider interaction, longer wait times for appointments, delays in benefits, and increased workloads for existing staff. Ultimately, these conditions compromise the level of care veterans receive. In February, the Castle Point VA in the Hudson Valley temporarily closed due to inadequate staffing, with employees citing the federal hiring freeze as a key roadblock to getting the providers needed for the community.[5] At the Bronx VA, 20-year veteran Luke Graziani was abruptly fired weeks before his probationary period ended, leaving a vacuum in internal and external communications for the facility. While we are glad to see Mr. Graziani reinstated, the chaos and recklessness of these actions have created a widespread atmosphere of fear and instability across the state.[6]
The PACT Act was transformational legislation that expanded eligibility for VA healthcare and benefits for veterans with toxic exposures during their military service. Since passage, over 796,000 veterans have enrolled in VA healthcare with over 4.8 million claims received.[7] To handle the surge in veterans becoming eligible for care, the VA needed to hire more employees to process claims, provide healthcare, and manage the expanded services. Cutting VA employee levels back to pre-PACT Act levels would be detrimental to veterans’ care and benefits, leading to longer wait times for appointments, claims processing, increased costs in care, and a significant decrease in mental health services.[8]
The New York Congressional delegation has consistently fought for public, high-quality, accessible health care for our veterans. In New York, we have worked to keep facilities open, expand services, and fight for critical investments to ensure our veterans receive the care they deserve. These firings will threaten the agency’s core mission to provide quality healthcare, timely delivery of benefits, and housing resources for our veterans. It is the federal government’s responsibility to “honor the contract,” – we must honor that commitment by providing the care, benefits, and opportunities every veteran has earned through their sacrifice.
As Members of the New York Congressional delegation, we stand united in demanding that the administration reverse course on your proposed staffing and benefits cuts that will cripple the livelihoods of our veteran constituents.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06), co-chair of the PFAS Task Force, released the following statement in response to reports that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to rescind the landmark PFAS drinking water standard implemented last year.
“I see the urgent threat of PFAS firsthand in Michigan, and this is a problem many communities across our country are facing and working hard to rectify. After years of fighting, the EPA issued a final rule to limit the levels of PFAS commonly found in drinking water, an important step to keep forever chemicals out of our homes. Rescinding this standard means more Americans will be poisoned and harmful PFAS contamination will continue to spread. Too many people have already suffered the adverse effects of PFAS exposure, and we must do everything possible to combat this dangerous public health threat.”
The national drinking water standard issued last year by the EPA set legally enforceable levels, called Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), for six PFAS commonly known to occur in drinking water. The EPA estimates this rule will prevent PFAS exposure in drinking water for approximately 100 million people, prevent thousands of deaths, and reduce tens of thousands of serious PFAS-attributable illnesses.
Dingell has long led the fight against PFAS as the author of the PFAS Action Act, which includes establishing a strong national drinking water standard.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) opened today’s Energy and Commerce Committee Markup on the Republican budget proposal by sharing the story of a Michigan family from Warren whose six-year-old son, George, has Down syndrome, and relies on Medicaid to get the care he needs.
The independent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) determined that at least 13.7 million more Americans will go uninsured on Trump and Congressional Republicans’ watch.
New analysis from the nonpartisan CBO found the health provisions in Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans’ bill will cut at least $715 billion and will result in at least 8.6 million more Americans going uninsured because of cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. In additional analysis, CBO determined 5.1 million more Americans will go uninsured as a result of Republicans refusing to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, as well as full implementation of the Marketplace Integrity Rule.
Watch Dingell’s remarks here, and read them below.
“Thank you, M. Chair,
Please meet George, who I met this morning, who is full of energy – and my office somehow survived.
Welcome, George. Here’s the letter I got from his mom:
‘Our son, George, is six and has Down’s Syndrome. We adopted him at 3 weeks old. Losing Medicaid would cripple our family, absolutely destroy us. We’ve been very lucky until now because of Medicaid. It’s been very instrumental for our family’s ability to survive. My husband and I both primarily do gig work, both employed full time, but we don’t have workplace insurance. It’s not super reliable for the kinds of jobs we do, so we have marketplace insurance. It’s a huge fear that we’d lose Medicaid, because it’s necessary for our family’s lives.
‘The disability world, our community, is really worried about cuts to Medicaid. The general narrative right now is one of terror.
‘It’s a death sentence to cut Medicaid. It’s intrinsically and undeniably tied to disability rights and justice in our country. If we’re not serving our most vulnerable children, what are we even doing as a country? You’re leaving families with no options and putting us in an impossible position. It’s so obvious that they don’t care about disabled people or poor people.’
They cared strongly enough to come.
There’s a poll this week that shows 83% of people in Michigan support Medicaid. 2.6 million people get health insurance through Medicaid in Michigan, representing approximately 1 in 4 Michiganders. Medicaid provides coverage for 38% of births in Michigan, 2 in 5 children, 3 in 5 nursing home residents, and 3 in 8 working-age adults with disabilities.
And I want to say to my colleagues, Michigan’s Medicaid program is efficient with per-enrollee costs among the 10 lowest in the country. To all my colleagues who say you’re cutting waste and fraud, Medicaid is 22% more cost-effective than any private insurance plan. We have to protect George, other children, seniors in nursing homes, and people with disabilities.
Please don’t say you’re not going to hurt them, because many things in this bill are a back-door way of doing so.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California
May 08, 2025
Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, Ranking Member Jared Huffman led House Natural Resources Committee Democrats to reject House Republicans’ scorched-earth plan in the Committee’s portion of the Republican reconciliation package. Their bill will sell off our lands, waters, and wildlife to fund tax cuts for billionaires and promote their extreme partisan agenda. While House Republicans remained silent at the markup, Huffman, alongside his Democratic colleagues, presented a unified front to protect our communities, the American taxpayer, and our most cherished places.
Ranking Member Huffman addresses Republicans’ betrayal to our environment and the American people
Republicans had the opportunity to support common sense safeguards and improve the legislation, but they instead rejected multiple Democratic amendments, including:
Ranking Member Huffman’s amendments (#20 and #35) protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Boundary Waters.
Ranking Member Huffman’s amendment (#247) striking the section creating a “pay-to-play” process for NEPA.
Ranking Member Huffman’s amendment (#36) striking out all provisions parallel to Project 2025
Ranking Member Huffman’s amendment (#105) redirecting funds to support international conservation
Ranking Member Huffman’s amendment (#39) preventing offshore oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico
Ranking Member Huffman’s amendment (#102) prohibiting funds from being used to procure seafood originating or processed in countries identified for failure to address illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing, bycatch of marine wildlife, or shark management.
Ranking Member Huffman’s amendment (#197) requiring tribal consultation before approving Ambler Road.
Ranking Member Huffman’s amendment (#106) blocking the bill from go into effect until the Office of Inspector General submits a report on Elon Musk’s conflict of interest.
A full list of amendments offered by Committee Democrats and blocked by Republicans can be found here
Ranking Member Huffman spent the entire reconciliation markup holding Republicans accountable for their anti-environment agenda, proposing alternative legislative action to improve our public lands, and leading debate to address the issues impacting the American people on the ground. The Republicans, on the other hand, stayed quiet during the reconciliation markup – silently promoting extensions of Project 2025 while doing nothing to help the communities that will be impacted by these reckless policies.
House Republicans are squandering Americans’ money, health, and safety to pad polluters’ pockets. Specifically, this bill:
Instantly boosts big oil and gas company profits by letting them drill and frack at bargain-basement prices while robbing taxpayers blind.
Puts polluters before people by letting the wealthy companies pay for legal immunity for inadequate environmental reviews and slapping Americans with exorbitant fees to protest oil and gas pollution.
Slashes funding for critical and popular public services like NOAA’s coastal restoration and resilience efforts and the National Parks workforce, making it harder forAmericans to protect their communities from natural hazards and visit our nation’s most scenic and inspiring places.
Locks up 4 million acres for unprofitable coal mining – more land than the entire state of Connecticut – taking our energy policy back to the 19th century.
Mandates dirty mining and drilling deals that will create toxic disasters in our nation’s most pristine lands and waters, permanently polluting places like the Boundary Waters and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Crushes clean energy development by jacking up fees for wind and solar while slashing fees for oil and coal.
Wipes out protections for endangered species, including dooming the planet’s most endangered whale to extinction by waiving all sensible safeguards for offshore oil and gas operations.
Sells off public lands to pay for handouts to big oil and tax cuts for billionaires – a surprise, late-night amendment paves the way for a fire sale of public lands.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)
Washington, D.C. – Today, during the Energy and Commerce Committee’s consideration of the Republican tax plan, which will kick 13.7 million people off their healthcare, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) called out provisions that will make it easier to build polluting coal power plants and cut back on investments in clean energy technologies.
Speaking on the Republican plan, Rep. Peters said, “Last Congress, my Republican colleagues were insistent that we should have an all-of-the-above energy strategy, one that leveraged our natural resources, unleashed American innovation, and cut through bureaucratic red tape. Which is why I am confused that we are considering a reconciliation bill that picks winners and losers, and elevates expensive, outdated, and inefficient sources like coal over cheap American-made energy like solar, wind, and storage.”
He continued, “Why does this bill provide government-backed insurance to coal plants, as the President of the United States single-handedly kills hundreds if not thousands of clean energy jobs across the country by illegally targeting projects and weaponizing the permitting process?”
And he concluded, “We need to face reality; we can’t build anything in America anymore. North America has built about 7 gigawatts of interregional transmission since 2014, with less than half of that in the U.S. In that same time frame, South America has built 22 gigawatts, Europe has built 44 gigawatts, and China has built 260. There is a growing bipartisan coalition for permitting reform. Whether it’s forest management, electric transmission, or building housing, I have reached across the aisle and found success in moving solutions forward. Many of us have voiced our desire to work in a bipartisan way to make America more energy dominant. Now is the time to put our money where our mouth is, and focus on durable, common-sense, and all-of-the-above policies that provide certainty for industry and consumers.”
CA-50 Medicaid Facts:
156,100 people in the district rely on Medicaid for health coverage—that’s 20 percent of all district residents.
34,700 children in the district are covered by Medicaid.
17,700 seniors in the district are covered by Medicaid.
64,900 adults in the district have Medicaid coverage through Medicaid expansion—that includes pregnant women who are able to access prenatal care sooner because of Medicaid expansion, parents, caretakers, veterans, people with substance use disorder and mental health treatment needs, and people with chronic conditions and disabilities.
At least five hospitals in the district had negative operating margins in 2022. These hospitals would be especially hard-hit by cuts to Medicaid. For example:
Scripps Mercy Hospital had a negative 25.3 percent operating margin—and nearly 22 percent of its revenue came from Medicaid.
Sharp Coronado Hospital had a negative 3.5 percent operating margin—and over 36 percent of its revenue came from Medicaid.
University of California San Diego Medical Center had a negative 2.4 percent operating margin—and nearly 19 percent of its revenue came from Medicaid.
Those health centers and patients rely on Medicaid—statewide, 69 percent of health center patients rely on Medicaid for coverage.
Health centers will not be able to stay open and provide the same care that they do today, with more uninsured and underinsured patients. They are already operating on thin margins—in 2023, nationally, nearly half of health centers had negative operating margins.
Medicaid cuts put health centers at risk, including:
Family Health Centers of San Diego
Neighborhood Healthcare
North County Health Project
San Diego American Indian Health Centers
St. Vincent De Paul Village
Read Rep. Peters full remarks below:
Last Congress, my Republican colleagues were insistent that we should have an all-of-the-above energy strategy, one that leveraged our natural resources, unleashed American innovation, and cut through bureaucratic red tape.
Which is why I am confused that we are considering a reconciliation bill that picks winners and losers, and elevates expensive, outdated, and inefficient sources like coal over cheap American-made energy like solar, wind, and storage.
Why does this bill expedite permitting for natural gas pipelines – an undeniably important component of our energy system – while completely ignoring transmission lines, without which we would not be able to meet a single kilowatt of energy demand?
Why does this bill provide government-backed insurance to coal plants, as the President of the United States single-handedly kills hundreds, if not thousands, of clean energy jobs across the country by illegally targeting projects and weaponizing the permitting process?
This entire Congress, my Republican colleagues have focused almost exclusively on our need to build baseload power to meet energy demand from data centers, manufacturing, and AI.
However, when they have an opportunity to ensure this baseload power can move from where it’s generated to where it will be used, my Republican colleagues have not only chosen to completely ignore the problem, but are rescinding funds to make it easier to build out the energy infrastructure we need to reduce costs and keep the lights on.
We need to face reality; we can’t build anything in America anymore. North America has built about 7 gigawatts of interregional transmission since 2014, with less than half of that in the U.S. In that same time frame, South America has built 22 gigawatts, Europe has built 44 gigawatts, and China has built 260.
There is a growing bipartisan coalition for permitting reform. Whether it’s forest management, electric transmission, or building housing, I have reached across the aisle and found success in moving solutions forward.
Many of us have voiced our desire to work in a bipartisan way to make America more energy dominant. Now is the time to put our money where our mouth is, and focus on durable, common-sense, and all-of-the-above policies that provide certainty for industry and consumers.
This bill, however, doesn’t come anywhere close to meeting the moment. It isn’t real permitting reform, it doesn’t make us energy dominant, and it only makes things more uncertain for industry, for Americans, and for our future.
Instead of making it easier to build everything, once again we are cutting off our feet in the race to energy resilience. This is the definition of picking winners and losers. And this not the way we will achieve a resilient, energy-abundant future.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe where he emphasized that Democrats will continue pushing back against the reckless Republican scheme to rip healthcare and nutritional assistance away from the American people.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: This morning, the House Energy and Commerce Committee continues its marathon session on proposed Medicaid cuts that will be included in the Republican Party’s sweeping domestic policy bill. Let’s bring in House Minority Leader, Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York. It’s good to have you on sir. Tell us about those cuts. How will Americans be feeling them?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, good morning. House Democrats are working hard through the night, both on the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Ways and Means Committee, to push back against this GOP Tax Scam, where they are trying to enact the largest Medicaid cut in American history north of $700 billion. And independent observers have confirmed that if the Republicans are successful in passing this GOP Tax Scam, then approximately 14 million people will actually lose their health coverage. Hospitals will close. Nursing homes will shut down. This really is a matter of life and death, and it’s all being done to try to enact massive tax cuts for MAGA billionaire donors like Elon Musk. It’s shameful.
WILLIE GEIST: Leader Jeffries, I’m also looking deep into this bill at proposed cuts to SNAP. That’s food assistance for people across the country—red states, blue states, white, Black, Latino, you name it. $300 billion cuts proposed. What would be the impact of that?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Republicans are literally ripping food out of the mouths of children and seniors and veterans. About 20% of households that have veterans living in them right now rely upon SNAP. And in addition to trying to jam this massive cut to healthcare down the throats of the American people, this would be the largest cut to nutritional assistance in the history of the United States of America. And so Republicans are really pushing an extreme agenda at this point in time, directed by Donald Trump. And unfortunately, what we’ve seen is that Republicans in the Congress continue to simply be a rubber stamp as opposed to standing up for the best interests of their constituents.
KATTY KAY: Leader Jeffries, there’s so much going on around the country and so much news coming out of this administration that perhaps this bill is not getting the attention you may feel it deserves. I know there were protesters and some people arrested up on Capitol Hill this week. How can you make Democrats and Republicans who could lose in red states and rural areas as well from this bill—how can you make them more aware and get their voices heard so that changes could be made to the bill?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, these cuts are deeply unpopular across the country, and we’re seeing that in district after district after district. One of the reasons why Republican House leaders have told their members to stop holding town hall meetings is because the American people in blue states, in swing states, in red states have been showing up protesting these proposed cuts to their healthcare, these proposed cuts in nutritional assistance, the efforts to hurt veterans. And so, we just have to keep the pressure on. We’re in a more-is-more environment. We’re doing town hall meetings in our districts and town hall meetings in Republican districts, rallies and speeches and demonstrations and sit-ins. We’ll continue to elevate for the American people the stakes of this battle. And all we need is to find four Republicans who are willing to do the right thing and we could stop this extreme budget from being enacted.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Let me circle back to an issue that we were talking about a month ago. And I’m just curious what Congress is doing, what Congress can do, what Democrats can do about USAID. We have a situation where you have the richest billionaire in the world slashing funding that’s going to ultimately take food out of the mouths of the poorest children on the planet. Now, USAID obviously was a congressionally-mandated agency. You all authorized the spending. You appropriated the spending. And I’m just curious, when does Congress circle back? Because I know there are a lot of Republicans on the Hill that don’t want PEPFAR cut, this Bush program that was inspired by his faith, his evangelical faith, saved over 25 million lives in Africa. We can talk about Catholic charities, Baptist charities. A lot of cuts, both secular and religious charities, helping the poorest across the world. What can Congress do to make sure that funding starts back up?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Joe, as you know, the Constitution gives Congress generally, and the House specifically, the power of the purse. And as the appropriations process begins at the conclusion of this Republican budget reconciliation effort, we’re going to have to strongly push our Republican colleagues to join us to make sure that congressionally-mandated funding, including as it relates to USAID, which helps the best interests of the United States of America. It’s the right thing to do. It’s a moral outrage that these funds have been cut, but it’s also a strategic outrage because what the Trump administration and Elon Musk are doing are undermining the soft power of the United States of America. And if we don’t step in to battle these humanitarian situations that are happening across the world, China will step in and that’s bad for the national security of the United States of America.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: House Minority Leader, Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York, thank you very much for coming on the show this morning. We appreciate it.