Jeffries, speaking to reporters at the Capitol, reiterated Democrats’ position ahead of the meeting at the White House on Monday, saying “we’ve made clear that we are willing to find a bipartisan path forward on a spending bill negotiated by Democrats and Republicans, but it has to meet the needs of the American people.”
“What we will not do is support a partisan, Republican spending bill that continues to gut the health care of the American people,” Jeffries said.
The House minority leader said he and Schumer are in “lockstep,” adding that “we’re heading into the meeting to have a good-faith negotiation about landing the plane in a way that avoids a government shutdown, but does not continue the Republican assault on the health care of the American people.”
Jeffries argued that over the last few months, Republicans “have created a health care crisis in the United States of America,” with their restrictions to Medicaid in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act. He said Republicans “have refused to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, and as a result of that, millions of working-class Americans are going to experience skyrocketing premiums, copays and deductibles at a time when America is already too expensive.”
“This is a five-alarm fire, in terms of the Republican-caused health care crisis, and that’s why Democrats are determined to turn things around,” he said.
Asked whether Democrats would back a clean continuing resolution if they get assurances that Republicans are willing to negotiate on extending the health care subsidies going forward, Jeffries said the Democrats’ position is “a permanent extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits.”
“No one can trust their word on health care, are you kidding me?” Jeffries said. “These people have been trying to repeal and displace people off the Affordable Care Act since 2010. That’s 15 years. And on behalf of the American people, we’re supposed to simply take their word that they’re willing to negotiate?”