Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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You certainly ask interesting questions.
Bloomberg Audio Studios Podcasts Radio News Sticking with the shutdown as tensions are rising on Capitol Hill, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York is confident a spending bill can pass, but says Republicans must first address what he calls a health care crisis. House Leader Jeffries joins us now. Congressman, thank you so much for being with us.
House Leader, I want to just start with whether you feel confident that you can complete some sort of agreement in the next few days. Do you have a time frame as these discussions do continue?
Well, good morning. Great to be with you. You know, as Democrats, we've repeatedly made clear we will sit down anytime, anyplace with anyone, either here at Capitol Hill or back at the White House, in order to reopen the government, to enact a spending bill that actually meets the needs of the American people, as opposed to hurting everyday Americans.
And of course that spending bill must decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis that is hurting working class Americans and middle class Americans all throughout the country, including as it relates to the urgent need to reauthorize and extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.
Well, the speaker told us yesterday that Congress is having these talks when it comes to subsidies reform. Are you part of these talks? And just a quick condolences, because I know you, like me, were up late watching the Yankees lose, and I know you're a huge fan, Minority Leader Jeffries.
Well, thank you. They had a great season. Unfortunately, it didn't end the way that we expected, but on to next year. With respect to what the Speaker has indicated, there's been no conversation between House Republicans and House Democrats or
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Chapter 2: What are the current challenges leading to the government shutdown?
Do you regret having an expiration date on this?
No. We were able to extend it through the end of this year in full anticipation that any reasonable member of Congress will understand that you cannot kick tens of millions of Americans off of healthcare that's become affordable for them as a result of the tax credits. Unfortunately, Republicans chose earlier this year to pass their one big ugly bill Largest cut to Medicaid in American history.
Ripped food away from the mouths of hungry children and seniors and veterans. And they did all of this to pay for massive tax breaks that they made permanent for their billionaire donors. While at the same time refusing to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, which is why we find ourselves in this situation right now.
Leader Jeffries, some people would argue that what the Republicans are offering is to have a clean, continuing resolution and to continue negotiating this, given the fact that at the same time there are going to be service members who are not going to be paid. There's going to be a question around food stamps and whether they're going to be funded.
Air traffic controllers are calling out sick because they're not receiving paychecks. At what point do you just say, look, we need to keep people getting paid and we can keep talking?
We want to reopen the government, and we want to reopen it immediately. But we also need to enact a spending agreement that actually improves the quality of life of the American people, as opposed to hurting everyday Americans, which Republicans have been doing all throughout this year. And they've refused to negotiate.
Every step of the way throughout this year, they've taken a my way or the highway approach. They've gone it alone. And now we find ourselves dealing with this mess of this Republican health care crisis and time has run out.
Leader Jeffries, do you think that you've gotten more leverage as this process has gone on or do you think that it's actually waning?
Well, it's actually not about leverage for us. It's about the American people. That's the fight that we're waging, particularly in an environment where the cost of living is way too high. People are already paying too much for groceries, for housing, for their electricity bills. And now, of course, they're confronting the very real possibility of being bankrupted
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Chapter 3: How does Hakeem Jeffries view the Republican healthcare crisis?
Is there an opportunity for standalone legislation to make sure that the more than one million active duty service members get paid next week?
Certainly, our view in the House is that we should stand by our men and women in uniform and make sure that they do not miss a paycheck. Unfortunately, Speaker Johnson has ruled that out, saying it's not really an issue that he's prepared to deal with, in part because Republicans canceled votes last week, canceled votes this week. Apparently, they may not be coming back next week. And
What is that all for? Why are they on vacation in the middle of a government shutdown, particularly as it relates to the real possibility that our military families might miss a paycheck that they cannot afford to miss?
We're urging Republicans to get back into town, allow us to deal with the military pay issue, allow us to deal with the Republican healthcare crisis, and allow us to reopen the government so we can enact a spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people.
Peter Jeffries, we also saw a pretty explosive argument between you and fellow New York Congressman Mike Lawler. And then you proceeded to call Lawler an embarrassment on television. Was this fight representative of the state tensions that are going on within the Republican Party in New York state right now?
Well, Maga Mike Lawler is an irrelevant individual. He's a clout chaser, and he was stalking the Democratic Leadership Press Conference in ways that are unhinged. And, you know, at the end of the day, our view is the people...
People who need to sit down and have the conversation with us, Republican leadership in the House and in the Senate, the Trump administration, including the president or the vice president or anyone that they designate, are the ones who are ultimately going to determine how we can find a bipartisan path out of it. And we look forward to having those conversations.
But unfortunately, Republicans to date have declined to do that.
Well, what was he doing that you deem unhinged? And have you spoken to him since? Have tensions cooled? It doesn't sound like they have.
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