Speaker 1 (00:00):
The One Big Ugly Law is deeply unpopular. The American people clearly recognize that Donald Trump and House Republicans have not done a thing to make life better for them, and meaningfully, lower the high cost of living in the United States of America. Instead, what Donald Trump and Republicans have done is to rip away healthcare from more than 17 million people, and steal food from the mouths of hungry children, seniors and veterans, while skyrocketing the nation's debt by more than $3 trillion, and setting the country on a course toward possible bankruptcy. One Big Ugly Bill is a complete and total failure substantively, and in the minds of the American people.
(01:03)
House Democrats will continue to focus on the issues that matter, like driving down the high cost of living in the United States of America, because we recognize that for far too long, the cost of living in this country has been too high. Housing costs are too high, grocery costs are too high, utility costs are too high, child care costs are too high, insurance costs are too high. America is too expensive. There are far too many people in this country struggling to live paycheck to paycheck. That should not be the case in the wealthiest country in the history of the world.
(01:48)
Imagine in America where when you work hard and play by the rules, everyone can afford to live the good life. That's the America that House Democrats are working hard to bring about, good paying jobs, good housing, good healthcare, good education for your children, and a good retirement. When you work hard in this country and play by the rules, you should be able to afford to live the good life, but our system is broken, and Republicans are making it worse. Questions.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Not to change topics here, but after your meeting on Friday, are you prepared to endorse Mamdani? And If you don't go that far now, or if you're dragging this out, do you run the risk of turning off more progressive members of the delegation… Or excuse me, of the Democratic coalition?
Speaker 1 (02:54):
At the meeting on Friday, we agreed to reconvene with other members of the delegation, and high-level community leaders in Brooklyn upon his return to the country.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
What can Democrats offer to, let's call it the midterm, say, "Here's what we can do to lower your grocery prices"?
Speaker 1 (03:16):
We need an all-hands-on-deck effort to ensure that we're putting money back into the pockets of the American people, using the tax code to make life more affordable for everyday Americans, as opposed to enacting massive tax breaks for billionaire Republican donors. We need to make sure that the supply is sufficient enough to meet the demand that exists, because if the demand is too high, and the supply of goods doesn't actually meet where the market equilibrium is at, that presents challenges as it relates to everyday Americans.
(04:08)
We need to make sure that this country walks away from the reckless Trump tariffs, which are going to increase costs on everyday Americans by thousands of dollars a year. That means grocery costs, goods, and gas all could dramatically increase. That's probably the most immediate thing that can be done if this Congress actually, on the Republican rule, was willing to act like a separate and co-equal branch of government, and reassume our authority as it relates to tariff policy. But of course, what we see Republicans consistently do is simply act like a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump's extreme agenda, which has nothing to do with making life more affordable for the American people.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Leader Jeffries?
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Second row. Sorry.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. leader. You focused a lot on the affordability crisis in your opening remarks. Next Friday, the pause on student loan interest is set to expire. What's your message to Americans out there who are already struggling with, as you said, housing costs, groceries, utility, high utility costs? What's your message to borrowers out there who are just terrified of what their pocketbook will look like now that this pause is ending?
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Trump administration should reverse its policy which represents an assault on students. Just like we've seen the Trump administration assault veterans, assault homeowners, assault everyday Americans, assault farmers, assault small business owners and entrepreneurs and others, nothing is being done in terms of the Trump administration and House Republican policy to actually make life more affordable for the American people. These policies actually will hurt everyday Americans on issue after issue, after issue, notwithstanding the fact that Republicans spent all of 2024 promising to lower the high cost of living. In fact, Donald Trump said that costs would go down in America on day one. He said that. And yet we've not seen a single thing done to meaningfully keep that promise. No executive actions, no administrative orders, no legislation designed to meaningfully make life more affordable for the American people. And so as it relates to this student loan policy, it's just yet another example of the Trump administration not giving a damn about the high cost of living in the United States of America, and in fact, consistently doing the exact opposite as it relates to providing relief.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
Do you plan to support the discharge petition from Congressman Khanna and Massie on Jeffrey Epstein? And if so, will you sign onto it?
Speaker 1 (07:31):
I haven't taken a look at the discharge petition, because as of the moment at least, it will not ripen until after the August district work period. However, I absolutely support full and complete disclosure to the American people. Thanks. Chad?
Speaker 7 (07:48):
[inaudible 00:07:48]. Thank you. Good afternoon. The Republicans made a big deal about how the Biden administration handled the border last year, that was a major issue in the election, but then we have this officer from the CBP who was shot in Manhattan last night, and Republicans are saying, "See, this is part of the policy. People got in the country illegally, they shouldn't be here." What's your response to that when something that tragic happens in your home city?
Speaker 1 (08:10):
It's my hope that the victims of this criminal act are able to fully and completely recover, and those responsible for the criminal act should be held accountable, and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. At the end of the day, we have to make sure, in this country, that we secure the border, fix our broken immigration system in a bipartisan and comprehensive way, while at the same time, standing up for dreamers, farm workers, and law-abiding immigrant families. There are a lot of people throughout this country who now disapprove of the Trump administration's approach to immigration, who were promised that the Trump administration was going to focus on the deporting violent felons, as opposed to targeting children and law-abiding immigrant families. Trump administration should spend the billions of dollars in taxpayer resources that it has to make this country as safe as possible by focusing on deporting violent felons, not showing up at Little League Baseball games, churches, schools, and hospitals.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
Leader Jeffries, speaking of that, a lot of your colleagues are supporting the Dignity Act. Are you interested in immigration compromise legislation in this Congress?
Speaker 1 (10:00):
We have a broken immigration system, and we need to fix it in a comprehensive and bipartisan way. I haven't had a conversation with the authors of the Dignity Act, but I look forward to that discussion to determine if there's a path forward. Thanks.
Speaker 8 (10:16):
In your interview on CNN, you mentioned blue states that might try to do mid-decade redistricting as a counter to Republicans. You specifically mentioned some that have independent redistricting commissions, or that explicitly prohibit mid-decade redistricting and state law. How do you get around that?
Speaker 1 (10:35):
I think that we continue to have conversations with the state delegations, whether that's in California, or New York or beyond, to explore what the opportunities and possibilities are in order to make sure that the congressional map in 2026 is as fair as possible. We also believe that if Texas goes forward with this extreme mid-decade congressional gerrymandering, which shows how desperate these people are, because the American people are rejecting them and their policies, including their signature, One Big Ugly Law, that there will be several current Texas Republicans who will be made vulnerable in the midterm election. And that they should be careful with what they are doing, because many of them may not return in the aftermath of the midterm elections. Third row. Thanks.
Speaker 9 (11:45):
Leader Jefferies, as Democrats try to take back the house in the midterms, will they be focusing on the Epstein files issue, Rep. Connolly, well, Politico to hammer this issue? Do you feel the same way? And do you think that should be an important issue in the midterms?
Speaker 1 (11:56):
I think we're going to focus on building an affordable economy, so we can ensure that we drop the cost of living for everyday Americans, and they're in a position to be able to thrive, not simply survive. We're going to focus on protecting the healthcare of the American people, particularly in the midst of all of the damage that is being done as a result of this One Big Ugly Law, and the assault on Medicaid, the assault on the Affordable Care Act, the assault on Medicare, and the assault on the Children's Health Insurance Program. We also need to combat corruption in Washington, D.C., and deliver a government of the people, by the people, and for the people as opposed to what's going on right now, which is a government of the billionaires, by the billionaires, and for the billionaires.
Speaker 10 (13:03):
Looking ahead to the September 30th funding deadline, Republicans are expressing interest in more rescissions package. Do you expect House Democrats to take the same position as the last funding deadline, which was opposing the CR, and not helping Republicans keep the government open?
Speaker 1 (13:17):
It's my expectation that if Republicans try to jam a highly partisan spending bill down the throats of the American people here in the House, we'll reject it. Rosa DeLauro will take the lead, and has consistently expressed an interest in trying to arrive at a bipartisan spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people in terms of their health, their safety, and their economic well-being. But it's Republicans who have shown no willingness to do that, and you have Trump administration officials, like the author of Project 2025, saying that we should walk away as Republicans from the appropriations process, which means they want to shut down the government. Thanks.
Speaker 11 (14:11):
Thank you, Mr. Leader. House Democrats spent last week trying to force votes to release records related to Jeffrey Epstein, and you have said that you support that movement. Why are Democrats just looking at this and pushing for this right now, and not really during the Biden administration?
Speaker 1 (14:28):
I support transparency in terms of the American people. The far right, Donald Trump, right-wing conspiracy theorists, and others are the ones who have put this Jeffrey Epstein thing in the public domain. Let's be clear about that. No one looking at the facts disputes that. This isn't anything that any of us as House Democrats have been focused on ever, in terms of trying to fan the flames of what may or may not happen, but once it has broken into the public domain, and there's a clear desire on behalf of the American people to get more information, then the right thing to do is to present the facts and the evidence to the American people, so that they can make an informed decision about what may or may not have happened, and who may or may not be implicated in the Jeffrey Epstein matter. Let's be clear about the situation here.
(15:40)
Jeffrey Epstein was a friend of Donald Trump. Jeffrey Epstein was arrested during the Trump administration. Jeffrey Epstein was detained during the Trump administration. Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide during the Trump administration. Trump administration officials have said, prior to arriving in Washington, in positions of prominence, including at the FBI and the Department of Justice, that they were going to release the Epstein files. Trump administration officials are now in a position to release the Epstein files. Does any of that, in your view, have anything to do with President Joe Biden? Why do we think President Joe Biden or President Barack Obama's names are being invoked? Because Donald Trump is running scared, and the Trump administration is running scared. What are they hiding from the American people? Release the files so that the American people can make a decision on their own. This has nothing to do with a Democratic-led conspiracy theory, and the facts, and the chronology make that clear.
Speaker 12 (17:10):
Thank you, Leader. I'm curious, what do you think the message is being sent to-
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Have you asked a question already?
Speaker 12 (17:15):
No, I just got here.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Okay. All right.
Speaker 13 (17:19):
I'll vouch for you.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
[inaudible 00:17:21].
Speaker 12 (17:20):
Thank you. What kind of message do you think it sends to voters in your party that you have still not endorsed the party nominee for mayor in your home city, in your home state?
Speaker 1 (17:30):
We had a constructive, and a candid, and a community-centered meeting that lasted for over an hour on Friday, and we agreed at that meeting to reconvene upon his return back into the country. Thanks.
Speaker 14 (17:44):
I've got two, Mr. leader, if you'll allow. The first one is on redistricting. If you have concerns, or if you're hearing concerns from your members in places like California or New York about the same thing you just raised, that in Texas, if redistricting happens this year, that you may dilute blue districts and make them more competitive, if you're hearing any concerns. My second question is just that it's been a year since the news broke that President Biden was not going to run for reelection. If you generally can just talk about what lessons the party has learned since then.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
The Texas map is already gerrymandered, which is why Texas Republicans are walking themselves into a dummymander, where they are going to create competitive districts currently held by Republican incumbents, because it's hard to further gerrymander a map that is already designed to protect far-right Republican extremists who serve in the House of Representatives right now. With respect to any ongoing conversations in terms of New York, California or beyond, I'll defer to the chair, the California delegation, Zoe Lofgren, and the chair, the New York delegation, Jerry Nadler. Last question.
Speaker 15 (19:03):
Leader Jeffries, kind of off-topic a little bit, but a recent poll just came out and it said that 41 of Democrats don't believe that Donald Trump legitimately won the 2024 election. That is despite the fact that nobody among Democratic leadership has questioned the results of the election, in fact, the opposite. What do you make of such a vast disconnect between your base and leaders on this very issue?
Speaker 1 (19:26):
As you've pointed out, during the opening day of this congressional session, I congratulated the new president on winning the general election, and not a single Democrat, as far as I can tell, challenged the certification, because we're not election deniers. And obviously we've seen very different behavior from the other side of the aisle. Thank you.
Speaker 16 (19:54):
Thank you.
Speaker 17 (19:54):
[inaudible 00:20:05]. I was very sad that my [inaudible 00:20:05].
Speaker 18 (19:54):
Oh. Oh, is it tiny?
Speaker 17 (20:04):
Yeah, they're [inaudible 00:20:17].
Speaker 18 (20:17):
Oh.
Speaker 19 (20:17):
[inaudible 00:20:18].
Speaker 18 (20:19):
Did you do it mixed it in?
Speaker 17 (20:22):
Oh, the dressing, you mean?
Speaker 18 (20:23):
Yeah. [inaudible 00:20:23].
Speaker 17 (20:23):
Oh, I think [inaudible 00:20:25]. That's a good [inaudible 00:20:35].