Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke at the National Action Network’s National Convention, emphasizing that as the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress have continued to unleash extremism on the American people and caused the cost of living to skyrocket, Democrats remain committed to defending our democracy, protecting civil rights, lowering prices and affirming that diversity, equity and inclusion are American values.

LEADER JEFFRIES: What an honor and a privilege to be back at NAN, as Reverend Sharpton has indicated, year after year after year. I’m proud to be a card-carrying member of the National Action Network, the preeminent civil rights organization here in the United States of America. And I’m certainly so thankful for Reverend Sharpton, for all that he represents, for his leadership, for his friendship, his mentorship and his partnership. We know that Reverend Sharpton is a civil rights champion, a powerful voice for the voiceless, a defender of democracy and the disenfranchised. And Reverend Sharpton has been on this journey consistently year after year, decade after decade. He started out wearing tracksuits and now he’s rocking business suits. But over the years, while the outfit may have changed, the mission remains the same: no justice.

AUDIENCE: No peace.

LEADER JEFFRIES: And we’re so appreciative of Reverend Sharpton. And certainly his voice, and your voice, is needed for such a time as this. Reverend Sharpton mentioned that I now have the honor and privilege of serving as the House Democratic Leader. It was interesting, when I made that transition, representing a district back in Brooklyn, of course, that the late, great Shirley Chisholm once represented. And so I’m proud to stand on her shoulders, a mentor of Reverend Sharpton.

I came back home after the transition had been made. I was on Fulton Street and ran into one of my constituents who appeared to recognize me. He said, ‘Congressman, come over here for a moment.’ I said, ‘sure, good to see you.’ He said, ‘now aren’t you the Congressman who a few years ago on the Floor of the Senate during the Trump impeachment trial quoted The Notorious B.I.G.?’ I said, ‘yeah, that was me.’ And he said, ‘now, Congressman, as I understand it, you’re the House Democratic Leader, the highest-ranking Democrat in the United States Congress.’ I said, ‘yeah, God is good.’ And then without missing a beat, he responded, Rev., by saying, ‘how the Hell does that happen?’ So I had to think quickly on my feet, as Reverend Sharpton has taught us to do, and then it came to me. I said, well, ‘you never thought that hip-hop would take it this far.’

But for us, in this challenging moment, it’s all about the power of imagination. Imagining how we can get from where we are, challenging times, to where we need to go to make this country, in the midst of all the extremism, the best version of herself. That’s what we have to do because these are challenging times. We got a hater in the White House. Haters in the Congress. And haters throughout the Cabinet. But we’re working on this. Watch this. Kristi Noem is gone. Pam Bondi is gone. And Pete Hegseth is next up.

Challenging times, haters all around us, but we’ve got to continue to press our case. Now, this President has failed the American people in so many different ways. Refuses to spend a dime to make life more affordable for you, but is spending billions of dollars to drop bombs in a reckless war choice in the Middle East. Failing the American people. He promised that he would lower the high cost of living on day one. We know costs haven’t gone down in this country, costs have gone up. Housing costs, out of control. Healthcare costs, out of control. Utility bills, out of control. Gas prices skyrocketing because of this reckless war of choice. Food prices, out control. Cost of living is out of control here in the United States of America.

And we’re committed to bringing about the type of country that when you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to live a comfortable life, a good life, an affordable life—good paying job, good housing, good healthcare, good education for your children and, when it’s all said and done, a good retirement. That’s what we’re working hard to bring about. And by the way, that good retirement means making sure that these extremists keep their hands off your Social Security and your Medicare at all times. Work hard, play by the rules, live the good life.

Challenging times as we approach our 250th birthday. Reasonable for all of us to ask the question, ‘what makes America, America?’ It’s an important question that we need to ask because the extremists have a very different vision as to where they’re trying to take this country at this time. We want to move the country forward. The extremists are trying to turn back the clock. We’re working hard to bring people together. The extremists are doing everything they can to tear us apart. We believe in truth and reconciliation. The extremists want to erase our history. But let’s be clear, Black history is American history. We will never let them erase it.

We’ve been here since 1619. That’s before America was America. And we’re not going anywhere. Not now, not ever. No matter what these extremists are trying to do with their all-out assault on civil rights, on voting rights, certainly on diversity, equity and inclusion. And we won’t let these extremists get away with lying to the American people. They want to suggest that diversity, equality and inclusion are foreign values. They’re not foreign values, they’re American values.

Let’s just check the record. The motto of this great country, E Pluribus Unum. That’s the motto of this great country. Out of many, one. That’s diversity. One of the most important constitutional amendments in this country, a Reconstruction Amendment, the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, contains the Equal Protection Clause. And the Equal Protection Clause in the 14th Amendment promises equal protection under the law. That’s equity. And all across this country, from sea to shining sea, in the land of the free and the home of the brave, when people say the Pledge of Allegiance, they pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. That’s inclusion. So diversity, equity and inclusion, we’re teaching the extremists something. These aren’t foreign values. These are American values. And when you attack diversity, equity and inclusion, you attack the United States of America.

We have the high ground on this issue, which is why I’m so thankful that Reverend Sharpton and the National Action Network continues to lead it. And here’s the other thing that we know that this effort, attacking DEI is not a serious effort. It’s not about celebrating merit. That’s what they tell you. They’re not trying to celebrate merit, they’re trying to elevate mediocrity. Not trying to celebrate merit, they’re trying to elevate mediocrity. Here’s how we know that’s the case. Just look at who they put in charge of the attack on DEI. Pete Hegseth, the most unqualified Secretary of Defense in American history. You don’t have the standing to lecture anyone. This guy can’t organize a two-car funeral. He was a Fox News host and now he’s the Secretary of Defense. No wonder things are turning out so horrifically over in the Middle East. Pete Hegseth leading the attack on diversity, equity and inclusion. Those are American values.

Let me close with this observation. This is a John Lewis moment in terms of what we’re dealing with right now. I’ll never forget when I was a first-term Member of Congress, I got to the House Floor. Amazing all the people I got to serve with. Of course, Jim Clyburn, I know he’ll be with all of you, and Maxine Waters of course was there, and Elijah Cummings, Charlie Rangel. So many legends. I got to see John Lewis. He called me over and first thing he said to me on the Floor, one of my first days in the House, he said, ‘are you the new guy?’ I said, ‘Yes, Sir, Mr. Lewis, that’s me.’ He said, ‘No, Hakeem, you don’t have to call me Mr. Lewis. You’re a colleague of mine. Just call me John.’ I said, ‘Yes, Sir, Mr. Lewis. I understand.’ And then he said, ‘You from Brooklyn, right?’ Rev., I was tempted to say Brooklyn is always in the house, but this was John Lewis, so I said ‘Yes, sir, I’m from Brooklyn.’

Then he said something, I’ve never forgotten. He said, ‘Well, Washington, D.C. can be a tough place. So I don’t want you to get into any trouble here, unless it’s good trouble.’ This is a John Lewis Good Trouble moment for all of us as we push back against these extremists.

And our promise to you, as House Democrats, is that we’re going to work as hard as we can to lower the high cost of living, to fix our broken healthcare system, to clean up corruption, to get ICE under control, to end this failed, reckless, costly war of choice in Iran and to make sure that we protect the things that our heroes have worked so hard to ensure would be possible for generation after generation, which means one of the first things that we’ll do on the other side of this midterm election is to pass the John Robert Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act so we can end the era of voter suppression in the United States of America once and for all. Good Trouble Moment for all of us.

So let’s continue to show up and stand up and speak up for what we know is right. And we’re going to stand up for civil rights. Stand up for voting rights. Stand up for reproductive rights. Stand up for immigration rights. Stand up for women’s rights. Stand up for racial justice. Stand up for social justice. Stand up for economic justice. Stand up for liberty and justice for all. Stand up for freedom. Stand up for our democracy.

Let’s continue to win the day, and win the week, and win the month, and win the year, win the hearts and minds of the American people. And together, in November, win back control of the United States House of Representatives, end this national nightmare and continue our march toward a more perfect union.

God bless you. God bless Reverend Sharpton. God bless NAN. God bless the United States of America.

Full remarks can be watched here.

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