Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on NCS’s The Lead, the place he reiterated that Democrats are dedicated to extending the Affordable Care Act tax credit and that Republicans have a duty to their constituents to affix Democrats and cease premiums from skyrocketing.
ERICA HILL: It’s fairly a menu to current to our first visitor, Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. He is, after all, the House Minority Leader. Good to have you ever with us, Leader Jeffries. I might love to begin with healthcare and a actuality examine, frankly, provided that we are actually 5 weeks away from the expiration of these ACA subsidies. I used to be talking yesterday with Republican Congressman Nick LaLota, who informed me that earlier than we spoke, he had been in conferences a couple of potential deal. Just how a lot bipartisan work is definitely occurring behind the scenes proper now?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, good night. Great to be with you. We are in the midst of the open enrollment interval, and tens of thousands and thousands of Americans are about to expertise dramatically elevated premiums, co-pays and deductibles as a result of Republicans refuse to increase the Affordable Care Act tax credit. It appeared as if the President and the administration was ready to increase these tax credit for not less than two years, or not less than present a good-faith proposal for Congress to think about, till House Republicans, led by Speaker Johnson, apparently intervened as a result of they’ve zero curiosity in maintaining healthcare reasonably priced for the American folks. That’s very unlucky. These Republican extremists have been enjoying video games with the healthcare of the American folks all yr, and issues appear as if they’re going to worsen due to Republican unwillingness to handle the Affordable Care Act tax credit score problem upfront of the top of this yr.
ERICA HILL: So I’ll say a few of NCS’s reporting is that plenty of Republicans mentioned that they solely discovered about this after these particulars had been leaked to the press. The proposal, you’re proper, did draw heavy criticism from conservatives who, in response to NCS’s proposal, had panned—NCS’s reporting, somewhat, had panned—the proposal for together with an extension of the ACA subsidies set to run out on the finish of the yr. But you’re saying there aren’t any Republicans who need to transfer ahead on this. Can you simply give me a way, although, how a lot help do you imagine there’s amongst Republicans if that is, in truth, the President’s proposal? If that is what he places forth, how a lot help do you suppose that would have?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, it appears to me that the votes do exist within the House of Representatives, in addition to probably within the Senate, to increase the Affordable Care Act tax credit. But sadly, House Republican leaders have zero curiosity in doing that. This is identical group of people that have introduced us this Republican healthcare disaster that’s devastating folks all throughout the nation. Keep in thoughts that Republicans this yr, of their One Big Ugly Bill, enacted the most important minimize to Medicaid in American historical past. 14 million Americans are on the point of shedding their medical insurance consequently. Hospitals, nursing houses and community-based well being facilities are closing all throughout the nation. Republicans within the appropriations course of proper now are attempting to enact devastating cuts to the Centers for Disease Control, about $1.7 billion in cuts. That could be the most important minimize to the CDC in American historical past. And on the identical time, they’re going after medical analysis, vaccine availability and naturally, they refused to increase the Affordable Care Act tax credit, which give reasonably priced medical insurance to working-class Americans, middle-class Americans and on a regular basis Americans, however House Republicans may care much less.
ERICA HILL: So simply actual shortly, so we will put a button on this. You’re saying it’s Republican management which are chargeable for killing this. Are you saying that they’ve that a lot energy with the President? That they can go to President Trump and say don’t do that and he’s listening to them?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s a extremely good query as a result of on each different problem, House Republicans have mainly functioned as a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s excessive agenda. Generally, when Donald Trump says leap, House Republicans simply ask the query, how excessive? But with regards to extending the Affordable Care Act tax credit, now impulsively, House Republicans need Congress to behave like a separate and co-equal department of presidency. That’s extraordinary. But that’s in line with the truth that underneath Republican full management of presidency, all we’ve seen are prices going up. The price of residing on this nation is uncontrolled. Republicans promised to decrease prices on day one. They’ve finished nothing to do this. So housing prices are uncontrolled, grocery prices uncontrolled, youngster care prices uncontrolled, electrical energy payments skyrocketing and now healthcare prices are about to skyrocket due to the Republican unwillingness to do one thing in regards to the Affordable Care Act tax credit score expiration.
ERICA HILL: So, final query for you on this level, as a result of I do have another matters I need to get to. To get traction on this, you as soon as talked about utilizing a discharge petition, which, after all, is identical technique that compelled a House vote on releasing the Epstein recordsdata. Where does that stand?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, we’ve got over 200 signatures on our House Democratic-led discharge petition that can end in only a straight, clear three-year extension on the Affordable Care Act tax credit. And if House Republican management is unwilling to do something about this problem, all we’d like are a handful of rank-and-file House Republicans to affix us as Democrats, and we will get this finished for the American folks. So, we shall be urgent this case upon our return to Washington subsequent week.
ERICA HILL: All proper, effectively, maintain us posted. Let us know the place you stand on getting these, that handful of Republicans. I do need to transfer on to what we’re seeing when it comes to the backlash, the response to this video that was put out, after all, by six Democratic lawmakers urging servicemembers to not comply with unlawful orders. The FBI is now in search of to schedule interviews with them in response, saying—these lawmakers saying—in response in a joint assertion that ‘no amount of intimidation or harassment would ever stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our Constitution.’ As the Democratic Leader, do you imagine your Members ought to sit for interviews with the FBI?
LEADER JEFFRIES: There’s no foundation to this FBI investigation. Unless the FBI truly presents credible proof as to why they’re in search of to interview these 4 Members of the House and two Members of the Senate, then I believe we’ve got to take a look at this entire request skeptically. Again, it was Donald Trump who ordered the FBI and the Department of Justice to analyze these Members. He accused them of treason. He threatened them with dying. And so, it’s not clear why we must always take this investigation credibly. This is just not one thing the place the FBI is making an attempt to comply with the info, apply the regulation and be guided by the Constitution.
ERICA HILL: I do suppose it’s vital to level out we’ve got been informed that the—that the Pentagon is trying into an investigation, and what we all know in regards to the FBI, in response to our reporting, is that they’re in search of to schedule interviews. So are you saying, although—I simply need to put a pin on this as effectively—are you saying that they need to not sit for these interviews?
LEADER JEFFRIES: No, that’s a willpower that in the end shall be made by these patriotic Members, all of whom serve the nation, both as nationwide safety professionals, within the army or each. But what I’m suggesting is that we must always have a look at this so-called interview request and no matter investigation is underway from this excessive administration very skeptically as a result of it was all apparently ordered by Donald Trump. Now, in the end, the Members and their legal professionals are going to make the willpower as to what’s the following acceptable step on this so-called course of associated to the Trump administration.
ERICA HILL: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, respect your time. Thank you.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you.
Full interview might be watched here.