MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on CNN’s The Arena, where he emphasized that Democrats will continue to push back against the Republican effort to rip nutritional assistance and healthcare and work to end the Trump-Republican government shutdown on behalf of the American people.

BORIS SANCHEZ: Leader Jeffries, thank you so much for being with us this Halloween. I want to start by getting your reaction to what we have heard from Kevin Hassett about the White House agreeing to use these emergency funds to cover SNAP benefits. He seems to lament that the judges ruled this way.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah this is shocking to me because Donald Trump, Republicans and the administration should not be weaponizing hunger and jeopardizing the ability of more than 42 million Americans, including 16 million children, to put food on the table. But from the very beginning of Donald Trump’s time in office, cruelty has clearly been the point. We’re thankful for these rulings. The law is very clear. Funds do exist within the administration for exactly this reason—a contingency fund to make sure that no one in America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, ever goes hungry. What the administration needs to do is comply with the law and make sure that these SNAP benefits don’t lapse.

BORIS SANCHEZ: The counterargument from the administration, Leader Jeffries, is that it is Democrats, who by not voting for the CR almost identical to the one that they voted for just months ago, are holding these SNAP recipients and the beneficiaries of other government programs hostage. And I am curious about where you see all of this ending because eventually that emergency funding will run out again. It’s somewhere in the neighborhood of $6 billion, not enough to cover the $9 billion that I understand is required for SNAP benefits in November. Eventually there will be more agencies and programs that will run out of money. So what is the plan?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Donald Trump is the President. Republicans control the House and the Senate. And they’ve taken a my-way-or-the-highway approach from the very beginning of this year, unleashing their right-wing and extreme agenda and jamming it down the throat of the American people. But all of a sudden, they’re powerless. No one is buying that in America. As Democrats, what we’ve said is that we’ll sit down with Republicans anytime, anyplace, at the White House or in the Congress, in order to reopen the government and find a bipartisan path forward to a spending agreement that actually makes life better for the American people in an environment where the cost of living is way too high. And as part of dealing with that situation, we have to decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis, particularly as it relates to the pending expiration of the Affordable Care Act tax credits.

BORIS SANCHEZ: I do want to get your thoughts on the way that the President and some Republicans have characterized SNAP recipients. Here’s something the President said earlier.

RECORDING OF PRESIDENT TRUMP: Largely when you talk about SNAP you’re talking about largely Democrats, but I’m President, I want to help everybody. I want help Democrats and Republicans. But when you’re taking about SNAP, if you look, it’s largely Democrats. They’re hurting their own people.

BORIS SANCHEZ: What do you think the President means by that?

LEADER JEFFRIES: You know, it’s unbelievable to me. He should be functioning as the President of the United States of America, but, of course, he’s shown no interest in doing that. He just wants to be the President of his cult-like followers, but is unwilling to actually be there for everyday Americans, working-class Americans and middle-class Americans, who, by the way, are of every political persuasion. And, of course, people in every single state across this country are going to be impacted. You’re talking about 42 million Americans—16 million children, 8 million older Americans and seniors and more than a million veterans. And they’re in every single state in the country of every single political persuasion. You know, it’s Halloween. Donald Trump should put on a costume and pretend to act like a President, at least on this day.

BORIS SANCHEZ: I want to pivot to the President’s call to get rid of the Senate filibuster and actually play sound from President Barack Obama back in 2020. Let’s listen.

RECORDING OF PRESIDENT OBAMA: If all this takes eliminating the filibuster, another Jim Crow relic, in order to secure the God-given rights of every American, then that’s what we should do.

BORIS SANCHEZ: You yourself have used similar language to describe the filibuster. You wrote on X in 2021, quote, ‘The filibuster is a Jim Crow era relic that has been used to stop progress for decades. Enough.’ By your own standards, shouldn’t Republican Senators heed Trump’s call to eliminate the filibuster?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, you know, Marjorie Taylor Greene made this point a few weeks ago, that Republicans are actually making a choice to keep the government shut down when everybody in Washington understands they have the power to reopen it. But they’re asking Democrats to support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of the American people in an environment where they’ve already enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. Hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health centers are closing because of Republican policies all throughout the country. And now they’re refusing to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, and they want us as Democrats to go along with it. In terms of what Republicans in the Senate may decide relative to the filibuster rule, it is a Jim Crow relic, but ultimately it’s their decision. But keep in mind that the filibuster has already been eradicated or watered down in other instances. That’s the reason why Republicans could pass their One Big Ugly Bill with only Republican votes. Every single Democrat in the House and every single Democrat in the Senate opposed it. It was a simple majority. And they used the erosion of the filibuster in the case of that budget reconciliation bill to visit upon the American people a trillion dollars or so in cuts to Medicaid, to rip food away from the mouths of hungry children. And, at the same time, to enact the largest tax break for their billionaire donors in American history, and they made that permanent.

BORIS SANCHEZ: As you know, Leader, thousands of federal employees will not be getting paid. Paychecks for Members of Congress, though, do go out tomorrow, on November 1. CNN actually connected with Speaker Mike Johnson’s office, who said that he is not planning on collecting that paycheck. You’ve said that you plan on telling your constituents on or before that date whether you plan on accepting pay yourself. Can you share your decision?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Yes, I made clear to my constituents that my check will be withheld.

BORIS SANCHEZ: And as we speak, another impact of the shutdown is on air traffic. New York’s JFK International Airport is currently under a ground stop because of staffing shortages at air traffic control centers. These are your constituents that are using this airport. There have been multiple concerns already raised about shortages in air traffic control before the shutdown. How concerned are you about potential safety risks for your constituents?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I’m very concerned with all of the harmful effects of the shutdown. The fact that our air traffic controllers and many hardworking federal employees, TSA agents, are being asked to work without pay. This is the reason why Donald Trump needs to get serious about sitting down and finding a path toward a bipartisan agreement. Understand, this is day 31 of the Trump-Republican shutdown. Donald Trump has spent more time on the golf course than he has talking with Democrats who represent half the country. He spent more time talking to Hamas over the last 31 days than he has with Democrats who represent half of the country, and he spent more talking to the Chinese Communist Party than he has talking with Democrats as part of an effort to reopen the government, to enact a spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people and that addresses the Republican healthcare crisis that is hurting working-class Americans, everyday Americans and middle-class Americans, no matter where you live—rural America, urban America, small town America, the heartland of America and, of course, Black and brown communities throughout America. Donald Trump can help lead at this moment, but he refuses to do so.

BORIS SANCHEZ: Leader, could you specifically name a Republican who you’ve called in recent days and describe what that conversation was like?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Mike Johnson and I have had maybe two brief conversations over the last week or so, but they’re not serious. At the end of the day, understand, until Donald Trump tells them what to do, Republicans in the House and the Senate are going to be unwilling to find a bipartisan path forward, because Republicans, this version of the Republican Party in the Congress, they don’t work for the American people. They work for Donald Trump. He says jump. They say, how high? They’ve been nothing more than a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s extreme agenda, consistently hurting their own constituents, which is what they’re doing right now as it relates to their refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits when we know the five states that will be impacted the most are West Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska, Tennessee and Mississippi. Those are the five sates. The next five states are also in Republican-controlled hands. They could care less, and that’s a shame.

BORIS SANCHEZ: Turning now to the mayoral race underway in your city right now. Early voting in New York City has been underway this week. Have you voted in the mayoral race yet?

LEADER JEFFRIES: I have.

BORIS SANCHEZ: Can you share who you voted for?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I issued a statement endorsing a Democratic nominee a little over a week ago. So of course that’s exactly who I voted for.

BORIS SANCHEZ: Yeah, and I wonder if you spoke with your colleague, Senator Chuck Schumer, about your decision to back Zohran Mamdani.

LEADER JEFFRIES: I have not.

BORIS SANCHEZ: Why?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Chuck Schumer makes his decisions, I make my decisions. I let him know the direction that I was heading in, and that was the extent of the conversation.

BORIS SANCHEZ: Well, it just seems like this race in New York City for mayor is a microcosm of a battle within the Democratic Party between what’s seen as the old guard and the new guard. And there are clearly some apprehensions about endorsing or even voting for someone like Zohran Mamdani, even publicly voicing support for him. I wonder if you told Senator Schumer that you would back him, what he said in response, if you could share some of his perspective.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, a private conversation is a private conversation between Leader Schumer and myself—

BORIS SANCHEZ: Of course.

LEADER JEFFRIES: —as would be the case relative to any other Member of Congress. But I certainly informed him in advance of my decision, as he often does with me. And of course, we speak often. We’re focused, I think, the two of us—and he’s done a tremendous job right now, and so have Senate Democrats, in standing up for the healthcare of the American people, pushing back against these extreme cuts and doing everything we can to reopen the government and to enact a spending agreement that actually drives down the high cost of living in an environment where Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one. Costs aren’t going down. They’re going up. Inflation through the roof. Housing costs up. Child care costs up. Grocery costs up. And, of course, electricity bills skyrocketing.

BORIS SANCHEZ: One final question, Leader, just on that point that’s been made, including by former Governor Andrew Cuomo, current candidate in the mayoral race, that this is a quiet civil war going on in the Democratic Party. Do you see it that way that this mayoral is an indicator of where the party stands, perhaps where it’s headed?

LEADER JEFFRIES: I mean, I don’t think it’s a quiet civil war. That’s a hyper-aggressive statement from, you know, a candidate on the campaign trail who obviously is trying to appeal to a wide variety of people outside of the Democratic Party. I think we’re focused on the fact that we’ve got a responsibility both to push back against the extremism that has been unleashed on the American people from January 20 on, an attack on all the things—on the economy, on healthcare, on farmers, on veterans, on law-abiding immigrant families, on the rule of law, on the American way of life and, of course, on democracy itself—while also articulating to the American people an affirmative vision of how to make things better. It certainly is the case that the American people deserve better than what they’ve received. What are we going to do as Democrats about it? We’ve got to address the affordability crisis, drive down the high cost of living. We’ve got to fix our broken healthcare system that Republicans are destroying right now. And we certainly have to clean up corruption in an environment where the Trump administration is running the largest pay-to-play scheme in the history of the country and undermining the ability of our country to actually be one that is of the people, by the people and for the people.

BORIS SANCHEZ: Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, we’ll leave the conversation there. We appreciate your time. Thanks so much.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you.

Full interview can be watched here.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bryan Steil (Wisconsin-1)

Washington, DC – Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) joined Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) in introducing the Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act. This legislation prohibits members of Congress from collecting pay during the ongoing federal shutdown and deducts pay from members’ paychecks during future shutdowns. Steil has requested his pay be withheld during the ongoing federal shutdown.

“There is no reason our government should be shut down. If service members, men and women of federal law enforcement, and other essential employees are working without pay during the shutdown, members of Congress should not be paid either,” said Steil. “I’ve had my pay withheld and believe every member of Congress should do the same. This legislation ensures that members of Congress are not collecting pay during the ongoing shutdown and are treated the same as every other federal employee.”

Read the bill HERE.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bryan Steil (Wisconsin-1)

Washington, D.C. (October 21, 2025) – Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) joined Congressman Scott Perry (PA-10) in introducing the No Free Rides Act to address fare issues in transit systems across the country. The No Free Rides Act ensures local transit agencies enforce fare collection. 

This action follows investigative reporting that revealed Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) enacted a policy instructing drivers to not request bus fares from passengers. This policy contributed to a loss of $4 million in fare evasion and contributed to MCTS’s $10 million operating deficit. Under the bill, local transit agencies can adjust fare policies to meet new federal grant requirements.

“Federal funds are intended to strengthen and sustain public transportation, not give free rides to people who cheat the system,” said Steil. “Whether it’s refusing to simply request fare from riders, or eliminating fares entirely, these policies not only push local transit agencies like MCTS toward insolvency, but are fundamentally unfair to the hardworking families who rely on public transportation, follow the rules, and pay their fares.”

Read the bill HERE.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bennie G Thompson (D-MS)

Washington, D.C. –  Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to each of the major corporations the White House released that donated $350 million to tragically demolish the historic East Wing of the White House and construct an obscene and gaudy gold ballroom for President Trump in its place. In the letters, Congressman Thompson demands answers from the corporations on their involvement in – and contribution to – this travesty being forced on the American people.

“Today, there is a gaping hole in the side of the White House, and no one in the White House has been honest with Americans about the construction plans or the costs,” wrote Congressman Thompson.

Since the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 was clearly not followed in the planning for the ballroom or the demolition of the East Wing, Congressman Thompson demands the corporations provide, by November 7^th, extensive details on: how they came to contribute to this project, if they were solicited for the contribution, how much they contributed, if they were offered any benefit or recognition of any kind in exchange, and if they were advised on any potential conflicts of interest or ethical issues. 

The companies must also provide a list of all existing contracts they have with the Federal government – or are competing for – along with a list of all regulatory actions or adjudications in which they have an interest currently pending before any Federal entity. 

Finally – since demolition and construction plans have been kept secret from most Americans – the corporations must answer whether they were able to review any construction, or demolition plans at any point.

“The White House is a treasured symbol of our democracy, and the President has begun to demolish part of it with funds your company contributed. You owe Americans an explanation,” Congressman Thompson added.

The demand letters were sent to: Altria Group, Amazon, Apple, Booz Allen Hamilton, Caterpillar, Coinbase, Comcast, Hard Rock International, Google, HP, Lockheed Martin, Meta, Micron, Microsoft, NextEra Energy, Palantir Technologies, Ripple (pending), Reynolds American (pending), T-Mobile, Tether America, Union Pacific Railroad.

“Even Congress was not consulted, and there appears to be no oversight over the demolition and construction process. The ballroom construction plans have been roundly criticized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Society of Architectural Historians, and the American Institute of Architects, and the demolition has been condemned by large swaths of the public.”

Link to example letter

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — On Day 35 of the Democrat Shutdown, Speaker Johnson hosted a press conference alongside U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, and House GOP Leadership to discuss how Democrats have abandoned working families in an attempt to appease the Far Left. Speaker Johnson also addressed new research which found Democrats are “woke and weak,” something that is apparent to anyone who loosely follows American politics.

“They’re gaslighting the American people and even their own base. The truth is, the Democrats have lost touch with working Americans because they’ve simply stopped listening and stopped serving them,” Speaker Johnson said. “And every few months, after leaning harder into their woke identity politics, they commission an expensive study to try to figure out why working-class voters have completely abandoned them in the Democrat Party…Of course you don’t need a months-long study to tell you that Democrats are woke and weak. You simply need to look around.”

Watch Speaker Johnson’s full remarks here.

On Democrats abandoning working families:

It’s gotten so bad for them that even their traditional allies are losing patience. Now, the head of the Teamsters Union had a blunt message to Democrats a couple of days ago. “American workers are not bargaining chips. Senators need to stop screwing around and pass the House-passed, clean, short-term funding bill.” And it’s not just the Teamsters as you know. AFGE, the largest union of federal workers, had the same plea, and so did the National Association of Air Traffic Controllers, the Coalition of Airline Pilots Association, the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots, the Allied Pilots Association, Southwest Airline Pilots Association, the New York Steamfitters Union. It goes on and on and on.

These organizations have traditionally backed the Democrats for decades. That has been true. They represent tens of thousands of working Americans, all these associations together, and now they’re calling on the Democrats to drop their partisan demands and reopen the government. Stop inflicting this pain on the American people because you are afraid of your Far-Left base. And how did the Democrats respond to all this? They’re gaslighting the American people and even their own base. The truth is, the Democrats have lost touch with working Americans because they’ve simply stopped listening and stopped serving them. And every few months, after leaning harder into their woke identity politics, they commission an expensive study to try to figure out why working-class voters have completely abandoned them in the Democrat Party. Here’s a recent finding. This is a Left-leaning research group that surveyed 3,000 working class Americans. This is published in Politico, November 2: “Working class voters perceive Democrats to be woke, weak and out of touch, too focused on social issues and not nearly focused enough on the economic issues that impact everyone every day.”

And here’s the kicker. They also said working class voters, “can’t name what Democrats stand for other than being against Donald Trump.” Well, good luck with that as a message to the people. Of course, you don’t need a months-long study to tell you that Democrats are woke and weak. You simply need to look around.

On the stark contrast between Congressional Republicans and Democrats:

It’s now tied for the longest shutdown in U.S. history. We didn’t think we’d have to come in here every single day, day after day after day and repeat the obvious facts to the American people and to put it on display every day what is happening here. Again, it’s a split screen. We’ve talked about this split screen in the country right now. The American people are wise. Ronald Reagan used to remind us that you can trust the American people. And we do. And they can see the facts here. They see that the President Trump and the Republican Party are delivering real positive results for the American people, delivering on our promises. We passed the Working Families Tax Cut, which is the largest middle class tax cut in American history. We signed into law as part of that, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, big savings for those on Social Security.

We strengthened Medicaid with popular, commonsense reforms that strengthen the program. We’ve improved health care access in rural communities, and we have reduced premiums. There’s a lot more work to be done there. It is the Republicans who are delivering those reforms. We restored American energy dominance. We got the border crisis solved. We are reducing and handling the crime crisis in city by city around America. And we have restored peace through strength. That is on one side of the screen. Over the past 34 days of the shutdown, the Republicans have been the only ones working in good faith to end the shutdown and get everyone paid and get the services flowing again. And we have voted that way 14 times. That’s on one side of the screen. On the other is the Democrats. And it’s such a stark contrast because in the last 10 months, the only thing that that party has accomplished for the country is to shut down the federal government and cause this pain. The past five weeks have been painfully clear that Democrats are not interested in doing their most basic job.

On the passing of Vice President Dick Cheney:

Our condolences and our prayers go out to the Cheney family of course. We’ve had the loss now of former Vice President, Dick Cheney. Scripture is very clear, we give honor where honor is due and someone who gave their life, loved their country, loved serving their country in so many capacities. As you know, Dick Cheney served as Vice President. He served as a Secretary of Defense. He served as a congressman, of course, from Wyoming, and as the youngest chief of staff to any president in the history of the country. And the honor is certainly due to him. And our prayers go out to the family.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Pete Aguilar (31 CD Ca)

The health care cuts in Donald Trump and Republicans’ Big Ugly Law are taking a toll on Californians, and now, they have shut down the government rather than work with Democrats to save Americans’ health care

Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33) held a press conference at the Planned Parenthood San Bernardino Health Center about the damage Donald Trump and Republicans’ Big Ugly Law is doing to the organization’s primary care centers. Republican cuts to Medicaid, known as Medi-Cal in California, will force Planned Parenthood to shutter the primary care arm of the organization, known as Melody Health, at all seven of its clinics in Orange and San Bernardino Counties. This will disrupt primary health care for more than 13,000 patients throughout the region and lay off 81 employees. 
Republicans have doubled down on their assault on health care by also refusing to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits that reduce the cost of health insurance for families across the country. Democrats are calling on Republicans to work with them to cancel the cuts to Medi-Cal, extend the tax credits that make health care more affordable and end the government shutdown. Republicans control the House, Senate and the Presidency; they could stop these health care cuts and take action to reduce the cost of health care at any time. 
“Donald Trump and Republicans have shown their true colors—they don’t care if Americans have access to quality, affordable health care,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “The Inland Empire already faces a shortage of doctors and nurses to care for our growing population, which will only be made worse once Melody Health closes its doors. When people can’t access affordable medical care in their own neighborhoods, they can get sicker as they wait longer and travel even farther to see a doctor. Republicans could end the health care crisis they created at any time. Instead of working with Democrats on a bipartisan solution to save Americans’ health care, they chose to shut down the government and put even more of the vital services people rely on at risk. I won’t stand for these cruel policies, and I will keep shining a light on the damage of these health care cuts on people in the Inland Empire.”
“Due to the Trump Administration unjustly defunding Planned Parenthood, PPOSBC was forced to close our primary care,” said Krista Hollinger, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties. “This comprehensive, compassionate primary care provided people in our community with needed care like mental health counseling, wellness screening, and diabetes management – basic health care that everyone deserves. The Trump Administration and those in Congress who voted for the defunding provision continue to demonstrate that they don’t care about the health of our communities. At PPOSBC, we will always remain steadfast in our mission to provide high-quality, compassionate reproductive health care to our community.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s The Beat with Ari Melber ahead of tomorrow’s elections, where he emphasized the importance of protecting Americans’ healthcare and lowering the high cost of living.

ARI MELBER: We are joined now by someone in a position to work with the Republicans and reopen the government sooner or later, the top House Democrat, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, on Election Eve. Welcome.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Good evening. Great to be with you.

ARI MELBER: Great to have you. What is important for people to understand about the shutdown going forward as we pass a month? And do you think it’s an issue for voters who are turning out tomorrow?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, this is day 34 of the Trump-Republican shutdown, and our position as Democrats remains very clear. We want to reopen the government. We want to find a bipartisan path toward enacting a spending agreement that actually meets the needs of the American people, including by lowering the high cost of living, which, of course, has gone up under Donald Trump and Republican policies throughout this year. But any agreement that we reach, of course, has to also decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis, particularly at this moment, as it relates to extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits so that tens of millions of Americans don’t experience dramatically increased premiums, copays and deductibles.

ARI MELBER: We’ve seen a lot of backlash to what seemed like a very tone deaf set of parties by Donald Trump, use of jets and other government benefits by his aides, it’s sort of collected into breaking through. And I want to show a TikTok because this isn’t just political people talking about it. Regular folks and people around the country noticed that clear sort of Great Gatsby contrast. Let’s take a look.

[TikTok video compilation plays]
 
ARI MELBER: People have had it. Your views on whether that matters and is breaking through—Trump throwing these lavish parties, doing the ballroom, taking private money, taking crypto money, while he leaves the government shut and the—and the benefits running out.

LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s definitively breaking through, and what we’ve seen from the very beginning of this administration, of course, and this was the focus of the Republican One Big Ugly Bill, where they enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. They cut nutritional assistance, SNAP, by $186 billion. Literally, they ripped food out of the mouths of hungry children, seniors and veterans. They did this in July. And all of this was done, of course, so that they could reward their billionaire donors with massive tax breaks. So, at the center of Donald Trump’s administration and Republican policy in the House and the Senate is to benefit the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected, all part of their scheme to subsidize the lifestyles of the rich and shameless, while everyday Americans, working-class Americans and middle-class Americans get hurt. And that’s what we’ve seen during the duration of this Trump-Republican shutdown. They somehow found $40 billion, Ari, $40 Billion dollars to bail out their right-wing wannabe dictator leader of Argentina in a way that was also going to benefit some of their financier buddies in New York, but can’t find a dime to make sure that 42 million Americans don’t go hungry as a result of the Republican decision to unlawfully withhold SNAP benefits. And of course, during the same period of time, we see these lavish parties being thrown. We see the East Wing of the White House being destroyed so that Donald Trump can construct some gaudy ballroom to celebrate him as if he was a king. And during this period of time, we’ve also seen Donald Trump try to extort, hijack, steal $230 million from the Department of Justice so he could line his pockets. The whole thing is out of control. And the American people see it, and it’s going to have real consequences tomorrow in New Jersey, in Pennsylvania, in California, in Virginia and in New York City, and it will have consequences next year when we take back control of the House of Representatives.

ARI MELBER: Yeah, look, Congressman, Leader Jeffries, you sound pumped. You sound optimistic about tomorrow. You mentioned all the places, including New York. When we spoke a while back, you had yet to endorse the Democratic nominee in New York, then you did. Your counterpart, Chuck Schumer, has not. Not unlike some of the debates people remember over AOC, there’s been a question here about the big tent of the Democratic Party, but also the questions facing this candidate. I just put some of them to him, Zohran Mamdani. We just heard from him, and you’re busy, so I don’t think you probably caught the whole interview, but I’ll play you a part where he talked about pros and cons for this Democratic Party. We’ll see how he does tomorrow. Take a look.

RECORDING OF ARI MELBER: Something Democrats are right about.

RECORDING OF ZOHRAN MAMDANI: That we have to take on authoritarian administration in Washington, D.C.

RECORDING OF ARI MELBER: Something Democrats have gotten wrong.

RECORDING OF ZOHRAN MAMDANI: We need to bring back working people as the focus of our party.

ARI MELBER: Very direct, saying that the party, which you lead, hasn’t always done that. Is that a place of overlap between you two? Are you excited for him to win tomorrow, or did you delay your support, partly to send a message that he’s not your perfect avatar of a national Democrat?

LEADER JEFFRIES: No, Zohran has run a campaign that is relentlessly focused on the affordability crisis in New York City, and that, in fact, is a crisis that people all across the country are confronting. He’s going to win tomorrow, and then it will be all of our responsibility collectively in New York City, the city that we love, to ensure that he has the greatest degree of success possible. Now, what’s interesting—I was in New Jersey yesterday campaigning with and for Mikie Sherrill. At the core of her campaign is affordability and driving down costs for working-class people, middle-class people in New Jersey. We know that Abigail Spanberger in Virginia, who’s on her way to a decisive victory, has put lowering costs at the center of what she’s talked about. And House Democrats have repeatedly, from the very beginning of this year, made clear the cost of living is too high. Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one. Costs aren’t going down. They’re going up. Grocery prices through the roof. Electricity prices through the roof. Housing costs too high, child care costs too high. And now, because of the Republican refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, we know tens of millions of working-class Americans and middle-class Americans are about to experience premiums that are going to increase by $1,000 or $2,000 per year, in many cases. This is unacceptable in the wealthiest country in the history of the world. And so our perspective is that we have to decisively address the high cost of living. We have to fix our broken healthcare system. And by the way, we have to clean up corruption in Washington D.C. That’s the Congress, that of course is the Supreme Court and it also is the Trump administration, which is running the largest pay-to-play scheme in the history of the world.

ARI MELBER: Yeah, and you mentioned a couple of specific facts, DOJ, the President trying to take money out of taxpayers and put it in his own pocket in the foreign aid, and so it really adds up to that contrast. We’re going to see what voters have to say about it tomorrow. We’ll be listening, and we’ll see whether your optimism is well-founded or not, but it’s a busy night for you. Leader Jeffries, I appreciate you coming on The Beat, sir.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you, Ari.

ARI MELBER: Thank you.

Full interview can be watched here.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28)

Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), issued the following statement after the City of Laredo received official notice from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding plans to construct a border wall along the entire southern border, including areas within Laredo, Texas:

“Border walls are a 14th-century solution to 21st-century problems. Border crossings are already down, and Laredo continues to be one of the safest places to live in the United States. This was accomplished without additional border wall being added, but through enforcement of the law and investing in resources at our border. We have seen illegal crossings fall to their lowest levels in the Southwest, demonstrating that practical enforcement and coordination drive results.

“Those outcomes reflect real consequences at the border and deeper cooperation with Mexico and our Latin American partners. By aligning enforcement, information sharing, and regional responsibility, we are addressing the problem where it begins and delivering measurable improvements at the border.

“We need to continue to invest in technology and our hardworking DHS workforce, including frontline Border Patrol Agents and CBP Officers. That is why, as a senior appropriator, I have secured record levels of funding for Border Patrol Agents and $125 million for increases to Border Patrol overtime pay authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). These investments ensure that agents have the resources, time, and support they need to sustain and build on recent progress.

“I support smart border security solutions that will strengthen our federal border law enforcement while cracking down on fentanyl trafficking and human trafficking. That is why I have also consistently worked in a bipartisan manner to secure funding for personnel, technology upgrades, drone detection systems, the elimination of Carrizo cane, improvements to river and patrol roads, and more boots on the ground. With targeted resources and strategic investments, we can keep communities safe and disrupt criminal networks.

“I look forward to working with the Administration to strengthen these proven strategies—expanding technology, enhancing surveillance and detection capabilities, improving river and patrol roads, and increasing staffing—to secure our border effectively and responsibly.

“Border security is about results. South Texas has shown that strategic investments, professional law enforcement, and regional partnerships are what work, and that is the approach I will continue to advance.”

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

RIVERSIDE, CA – Today, Members of the Inland Empire Congressional Delegation—Reps. Mark Takano (CA-39), Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), and Norma Torres (CA-35)—gathered at a local food bank that distributes food across Riverside and San Bernardino Counties to spotlight the impact of the Trump Administration’s refusal to distribute November’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for 42 million Americans.  

Earlier this year, Trump and Republicans cut $186 billion from SNAP in the “One Big Ugly Bill.” Now, during the government shutdown, they are delaying and shrinking November benefits despite the Trump Administration’s own September shutdown plan stating that they would continue to fund SNAP during a shutdown. 

Members toured the food bank and highlighted the impact of Trump’s SNAP cuts on working Americans. 

“American families are facing the largest cut to SNAP in history—$186 billion—and this shutdown is only making hunger worse. It took states like California suing the Trump Administration just to force the release of emergency SNAP funds so families could eat during Thanksgiving,” said Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. “In California’s 25th District, where 42% of families rely on SNAP, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Speaker Johnson needs to stop canceling work and do his job. I’ll keep fighting to reopen the government, protect SNAP, safeguard health care, and lower costs for hardworking families.” 

“Our message today to President Trump is simple; stop using hunger as a weapon,” said Congressman Mark Takano. “Families, seniors, and veterans should never have to wonder whether politics will decide whether they can eat. Our ask is clear: restart SNAP benefits now as the judge ordered and come to the negotiating table so we can save health care and reopen the government.” 

“The Trump administration has reached a new level of cruelty by refusing to fund SNAP and allowing millions of children and families to go hungry,” said Congressman Pete Aguilar. “Republicans have no problem finding $40 billion in taxpayer dollars to bail out billionaire investors in Argentina, but when it comes to ensuring the most vulnerable Americans don’t go hungry, they drag their feet to find funding despite the fact that there is money available for the program. Donald Trump and his Republican henchmen must do the right thing: fully fund SNAP, open the government, and save health care. The American people are depending on them.”

“The Trump Administration is using hunger as a weapon, and I won’t stand for it. Cutting SNAP means taking food out of children’s mouths and punishing working families who are already struggling to survive,” said Congresswoman Norma Torres.  “Nearly a million people in the Inland Empire depend on these benefits to feed their families. Taking food away from them is cruel and unacceptable, and I will not stop until every family gets the support they’ve earned and deserve.” 

Footage of the press conference can be found here. 

Photo and b-roll from the press conference can be found here.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — This afternoon, Speaker Johnson joined The Will Cain Show on Fox News to discuss how Democrats cynically treat their government shutdown as a game to win or lose, while millions of low-income American families prepare to miss meals and federal workers are showing up to work each day without pay.

Watch Speaker Johnson’s full interview here.  

On the mainstream media running cover for Congressional Democrats:

For one thing, the polls are all over the place. I mean, CNN was reporting just on Friday of last week that Republicans were winning this as if it was some sort of political game. The only people who lose here are the American people. But those statistics like that, polls like that, don’t surprise me. The entire media establishment is parroting the talking points of the Democrats every day. It’s the most staggering level of gaslighting we have ever seen in American politics, literally. The Democrats have voted 14 times to close the government down whereas Republicans have voted 14 times to open it. And right after they cast the votes, will they go out and find the nearest camera they can, then look right into the lens and they say it’s the Republicans’ fault. I mean, it’s just madness. It’s absolutely the opposite of the truth. But I think the longer this drags on and the more pain that’s experienced by real Americans, I think they’re going to be digging beyond the headlines and looking to see who’s really responsible. And the facts are very clear.

On the Democrat shutdown preventing bipartisan appropriations negotiations:

We’re very mindful of the clock, and the great irony here is the Democrats are the ones that are taking the time off that clock. We needed it. Remember, we passed the clean CR back on September 19, well in advance of this cliff, the end of the fiscal year on September 30. It was Republican and Democrat appropriators, the people in Congress who specialize in the government budgeting and funding who came together and said, we need seven more weeks to finish our regular government funding process. But once the bill was put on the floor, all the Democrats except one in the House voted against it. And of course, all these Senate Democrats keep voting no. They’re doing this for one simple reason, Will, and this is what is so infuriating to us. Clearly this is motivated out of fear.

On Democrats refusing to drop their unserious demands to reopen the government:

Remember, before this all began, the four leaders went over to the White House. We sat across from [President Trump] at the resolute desk. Hakeem Jeffries was there, Chuck Schumer, myself, and Leader Thune in the Senate. And the President had a great dialogue. He said, give your proposals, guys. Well, remember they had just filed a $1.5 trillion demand for new spending, including giving $200 billion to illegal aliens to fund their health care again, to prop up NPR and PBS, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. They wanted to send billions of dollars back overseas to these crazy social programs in other countries. And the President said, well, obviously that’s a non-starter. Talk to me about something that’s real and reasonable. And they just stuck their thumb in his eye. So, the President tried, the great deal maker, the art of the deal. He can negotiate the end of wars around the world, but he does not have enough with these guys to overcome their fear of the Marxists in the Democrat party. There is a massive turn to the Left in that party, and that’s what’s motivating them.

###