Press Conference on the America Last Republican Budget

[3:29] Morning, everyone. More than 18 months into Donald Trump's presidential term, the verdict [3:38] is clear. Donald Trump and House Republicans have failed the American people. Costs having [3:47] gone down in the United States of America, costs have gone up. ICE is completely and totally out [3:54] of control, spending billions of taxpayer dollars to brutalize and kill American citizens and to [4:03] violently target law-abiding immigrants. The Trump tariffs have cost the American people thousands [4:11] of dollars per year in additional expense. Republicans have enacted the largest cut to [4:17] Medicaid in American history, and as a result, hospitals, nursing homes, and community-based [4:22] health centers all across the country, particularly in rural America, are on the brink of closure. [4:32] Republicans have refused to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, putting in jeopardy [4:38] the health insurance of more than 20 million Americans, and causing premiums to skyrocket, [4:45] in some instances, more than $1,000 in additional expense per month. Donald Trump and Republicans [4:56] have launched a reckless war of choice in the Middle East that hasn't made America safer, but [5:05] that has resulted in the tragic death of 18 brave service members. Hundreds more have been seriously [5:16] injured, including confronting the possibility of traumatic brain injury for the rest of their lives. [5:29] More than $100 billion in taxpayer money has been wasted by Donald Trump over in the Middle East, [5:38] a war that he promised never to get us into. And yet, one of the main things that has changed as a result of that [5:49] reckless and costly war of choice operation epic failure is that gas prices have dramatically increased and are now [5:59] north of $4.18 per gallon across the country. Donald Trump and Republicans have failed the American people, [6:10] which is why they clearly are on the run, which is why they clearly are on the run and are on the verge of losing control of the House of Representatives. In many instances, Republicans have already lost control of the floor of the House of Representatives, as Democrats just demonstrated once again by successfully passing a war powers resolution as part of our continuing effort to bring Donald Trump's reckless war of choice in the Middle East to a close. [6:44] House Democrats are fighting for an affordable America. And as we return home to our districts all across the country, we will make clear to the American people that our promise to them is to lower the cost of groceries, gas and housing. Our promise to the American people is that we will fight for affordable health care for every single American. [7:17] American. And our promise to the American people is that we will hold the crooks accountable. If you're a crook in the United States of America, and you've been stealing from the American people, we're coming after you. So we can deliver a government of the people by the people and for the people. Questions? What's happened in Iran? We don't have to recalibrate our message. We've been opposed to Donald Trump's reckless and costly war of choice in the Middle East from the very [8:05] beginning. And what's clear now is that the overwhelming majority of the American people reject this war, understand it was completely and totally unnecessary, that Donald Trump promised not to start forever wars, but to stop them and instead turned around and in the Middle East has done the exact opposite. So we're going to continue as we've done once again forcefully on the floor today to make clear that this Trump Republican war in Iran is [8:42] needs to come to an end immediately. [8:45] You're telling members that raising concerns about the D-trip. [8:53] I have complete and total confidence in Susan Del Bene, her leadership of the D-triple C. And as a result of that leadership, I'm confident we're going to take back control of the House of Representatives in November. [9:07] Mr. Leader, do you agree with Zorin? Hold on, hold on, hold on. [9:10] I think the House in midterms, you would have possibly some contested committee chairmanships. I'm just curious, I know seniority has been a priority of the Democratic caucus for a long time. Do you still see seniority as a factor or even the most important factor in determining who leads committees? [9:31] It's never been the only factor. It's always been a factor. Seniority is really experience. Experience should translate into whether you've been able to deliver effectively in leading the committee. And the caucus is going to work its will as we move forward. [9:51] At the end of the day, we can't put the cart before the horse. We've got to still go out and win this thing in November. And we're going to do everything possible to do just that. We have great candidates all across the country. D-triple C, once again, just announced, second quarter, we out-raised the Republican National Campaign Committee. [10:14] The House Majority PAC has had a record-breaking six months in the on-year on top of a record-breaking off-year. And clearly, the environment, as repeatedly demonstrated by public opinion survey after public opinion survey, most recently from Fox News, all point in the same direction. [10:42] But we're not taking anything for granted. We're going to keep our foot on the gas pedal, run through the finish line to try to do what has to be done for the American people. And then, if we're in a position to organize, heading into the majority in the 120th Congress next year, then that's what we'll do. [11:04] Mr. Leader, do you agree with Zord Mamdani's position that the federal government should comply with the ICC's arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu? [11:15] I haven't talked to him about this issue. He's been very vocal on the issue. I continue to maintain the position that, one, we've got to figure out how to move things in a better direction in the Middle East. [11:33] And for me, that means a safe and secure Israel as a Jewish and democratic state living side-by-side in peace and prosperity with an independent Palestinian state that provides dignity, self-determination, and respect for the Palestinian people. [11:53] Thank you, Mr. Leader, the president today is going to be at the EPA rolling out an announcement about the ratepayer protection pledge, [12:02] which he says AI companies are going to be making commitments to lower costs and protect consumers from the cost of data centers being built in their neighborhoods. [12:12] My question is, do you think that a commitment, a pledge to the Trump administration, is sufficient on this issue? [12:19] A lot of consumers are concerned about not only the economic impacts of data centers being built in their neighborhoods, but the environmental impacts. [12:26] Is that something that you think can be subdued with a commitment, or is that something that Congress is going to have to do legislatively? [12:34] Congress is ultimately going to have to legislate in this area with respect to artificial intelligence generally. [12:42] We want to make sure, obviously, that America can continue to lead in the race to innovate in this space, [12:52] while at the same period of time ensuring that we are vigilantly protecting the quality of life of the American people. [13:01] Under the leadership of Ted Lieu, Josh Gotthammer, and Valerie Fouché, we have been engaging with stakeholders all across the country [13:12] to be prepared to actually legislate in a serious way moving forward on all of these issues, [13:20] because Donald Trump and the Republicans have dropped the ball. [13:28] Speaker Johnson's almost taken a page out of your book lately and talking about, similarly, team normal versus team crazy as it relates to communism. [13:35] How do you break through that message? [13:40] It doesn't seem to be working if you actually look at the reaction of the American people in terms of who is on the verge of taking back control of the House of Representatives. [13:48] These people are desperate. [13:50] They're flailing all over the place because Republicans have failed to deliver a single thing that makes life better for the American people. [14:01] In fact, what they've consistently delivered is breaking promises. [14:07] That's what the Republican track record shows. [14:09] That's why they're in deep trouble in so many ways. [14:13] Republicans promised to lower the high cost of living on day one. [14:17] Costs having gone down, they've gone up. [14:20] Republicans promised that immigration enforcement in this country was going to target the worst of the worst. [14:27] Instead, ICE is spending billions of dollars of taxpayer money to brutalize or kill American citizens [14:34] and to violently target law-abiding immigrant families. [14:38] Republicans promised to love and cherish Medicaid and then turned around and enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, ripping health care away from more than 14 million Americans. [14:50] Republicans promised not to start endless wars in the Middle East, but to stop them and then turned around and got us involved in this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran. [15:01] And gas prices are skyrocketing out of control in an economy that is suffocating and drowning the American people. [15:12] And so I haven't really followed all of the hyperbole that's come out of Mike Johnson and Steve Scalise and others because I don't think the American people are taking it seriously. [15:29] And it's certainly the case that the extraordinary candidates that are running in districts all across America, including Kate Conley in New York, Rebecca Bennett in New Jersey, [15:49] Joanna Mendoza in Arizona, three extraordinary patriotic brave women, combat veterans, can't be painted as anti-American. [16:02] And the Republicans know it, but everything else that they've tried up until this point has failed. [16:09] And this effort to label us as communists is going to fail as well. [16:15] Earlier this week, Democrats voted again. [16:21] Republicans see our citing concerns about potential, the potential for border patrol funding. [16:26] Is that going to be a red line in September? [16:29] Do you all need language that explicitly zeroes out that funding for you all to support a CR in September? [16:33] And have you started coordinating with Schumer on a strategy to avoid a shutdown and not tell them? [16:40] Our view remains the same in terms of arriving at a spending agreement in September. [16:48] We're not down with the my way or the highway Republican approach. [16:51] That has gotten them nowhere. [16:54] And I don't know why they continue to go back to that playbook. [16:57] Even John Thune has said, with respect to the Republican continuing resolution related to the upcoming fiscal year, [17:07] that that spending bill is dead on arrival in the Senate. [17:11] Chuck Schumer didn't say that exclusively. [17:16] John Thune did. [17:18] So Mike Johnson, House Republicans, they're not even on the same page with members of their own party. [17:24] The my way or the highway Republican approach will continue to crash and burn. [17:29] It will fail. [17:31] And so our view is the appropriators should sit down, led by Rosa DeLauro on our side, [17:37] and enter into a bipartisan conversation about reaching an agreement that is actually designed to meet the needs of the American people. [17:46] And if that can't be done in advance of September 30th, then we should enter into a bipartisan continuing resolution [17:55] that gives the appropriators the space to actually enact a spending bill at some point prior to the end of this calendar year [18:04] that lifts up the health, the safety, and the economic well-being of the American people. [18:13] There was a meeting yesterday with the DPCC about messaging for the August district work period. [18:20] Can you share what was told to members in that setting? [18:23] Well, I'm thankful for all of the work that's been done by the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. [18:27] Today on Sunday, we will be launching an effort connected to our commitment to fight for an affordable America [18:40] and have 100 days of action beginning this Sunday, July 26th, [18:48] making clear to the American people that we're focused on lowering the cost of groceries and gas and housing. [18:58] We're committed to a country that provides affordable health care for every American, [19:07] and we also are committed as Democrats to hold the crooks accountable who've been robbing the American people blind, [19:17] and that includes a whole lot of folks in this town and folks across the country. [19:26] Leader Jeffries, the DNC is starting this discussion about deciding the order of the presidential primaries for 2028. [19:36] I wanted to know where you are standing on that, and do you view this as like tipping the balance of power [19:43] in favor of one faction of the party or another? What do you think of this? [19:47] Yeah, it seems that the discussions to date have been robust and have been comprehensive, [19:56] and we'll see what they come up with over the next couple of days in terms of the rules committee, [20:00] and then ultimately I think it has to go to the entire body of the DNC at some point in August. [20:07] Yes, I haven't expressed a public position other than making clear I support Jim Clyburn's view [20:14] that South Carolina should clearly play a preeminent role as it has done now for several presidential cycles [20:28] in terms of the early nominating process, particularly in an environment where we've seen the Supreme Court [20:38] unleash Jim Crow-like tactics in the Deep South trying to undermine the ability of African Americans [20:50] to select the candidates of their choice. [20:54] Mr. Leader, have you been briefed on the Saudi Arabia nuclear deal of the president's, [20:59] and even if not, what's your overall assessment? [21:01] Yeah, I have not been briefed on the so-called nuclear deal with the president, and it's hard to know. [21:06] He's announced how many different ceasefires, Donald Trump, how many different ceasefires has he announced [21:11] during the course of the reckless and costly war of choice in Iran? [21:17] Is there anything that he says, particularly when it relates to so-called agreements, that we can take seriously? [21:21] And so any responsible president actually would have provided a briefing through his cabinet secretaries [21:32] in advance of any sort of public proclamation, but, you know, this is how Donald Trump behaves. [21:41] He's always chasing attention. [21:43] I mean, he disgraced himself after the World Cup final. [21:48] Looked like the old man in a club that no one wanted around, and he's the only one that couldn't figure it out. [21:55] So we can't – there's nothing that he's saying right now that any of us can take seriously, [22:02] and that's unfortunate because he's gotten us involved in a war that has now cost the lives of 18 brave service members in Iran. [22:12] We're getting closer to Debbie Wasserman Schultz's primary in Florida. [22:16] Are you planning to endorse the Congresswoman? [22:19] I'm looking forward to getting involved in the August primaries, of which there will be primaries on August 4th. [22:28] There will be primaries on August 11th, and then the Florida primaries will be in August 18th. [22:36] And as I've said repeatedly, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz has been a highly effective member of the United States Congress [22:45] and a valuable member of both the leadership team and the House Democratic Caucus. [22:52] And I have more to say about that race and some of the other races in August where we haven't weighed in yet sometime soon. [22:59] Corruption is one of the pillars of the Democratic agenda. [23:04] You've mentioned it a couple times in your responses already going after not just potentially here in Washington but out across the country. [23:12] Can you clarify exactly what that means? [23:14] Is that obviously cabinet officials but also corporations? [23:18] Like how are the committees of jurisdiction who are already kind of starting to think about what Democrats can do? [23:24] Not just thinking about who to target here but also how are you making sure that when Democrats are out on the campaign trail talking about these targets [23:34] that they don't potentially over-promise to their constituents who or how they may be ribbons? [23:41] Our commitment to the American people is pretty simple. [23:44] We will hold the crooks accountable. [23:47] That's exactly what the American people want to see done because the corruption that has occurred over the last 18-plus months is out of control. [23:56] The most corrupt administration in American history. [24:01] It's not even close in terms of who may fall second in that regard. [24:08] And there have been a lot of folks across this country who made the decision early on to bend the knee to Donald Trump. [24:17] And if they've gotten themselves involved in corrupt dealings undermining the best interests of the American people, [24:27] then they should be held accountable. [24:29] And we have a responsibility as a separate and co-equal branch of government to serve as a check and balance on an out-of-control president [24:40] and to make sure we're exposing anyone who may be working with that out-of-control administration, [24:49] in this instance the Trump cartel, undermining the best interests of the American people. [24:56] Look, it's clear to us that if you've got people in government who are focused more on enriching themselves, their family, their friends, and their big donors, [25:07] then they're not focused on making life better for the American people. [25:10] And that's part of the problem that we have right now, that we've got a president and others who've shown no interest in improving the quality of life of the American people. [25:22] And that's not speculative. [25:24] Donald Trump has said it repeatedly in his own words. [25:28] Donald Trump has said the affordability crisis is a hoax. [25:33] Donald Trump has said he does not think about, he doesn't give a damn, in my view, [25:40] does not think about the personal financial situation of the American people. [25:45] His words, not mine. [25:48] Donald Trump has said he loves the inflation. [25:51] Donald Trump has said we're so busy fighting wars, we don't have money for daycare, Medicare, and Medicaid. [26:00] Donald Trump said that. [26:03] And so clearly he's got other things on his mind. [26:06] So does the administration. [26:10] So do House Republicans. [26:12] This is why things have gotten worse in this country. [26:14] The Trump economy is a disaster. [26:17] Everyday Americans are drowning in the Trump economy. [26:22] And that's why we're committed, as House Democrats, to fighting for an affordable America. [26:28] America, to make sure in this country, when you work hard, when you play by the rules, you can live a comfortable life, an affordable life, and live the good life. [26:39] And we know how that looks. [26:41] Good paying job, good housing, good health care, good education for your children. [26:45] And then, when it's all said and done, a good retirement. [26:49] Thank you all. [26:49] Thank you. [26:50] Thank you. [26:53] Thank you. [26:54] Thank you.