Washington, DC – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference where he emphasized that House Democrats will continue fighting to lower the cost of living for hardworking Americans while pushing back against Republican efforts to reward the wealthy and well-connected at the expense of Social Security and Medicare.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Good morning, everyone. We are preparing to wind down the 118th Congress with the NDAA, farm bill extension that’s being contemplated and, of course, a continuing resolution, while simultaneously preparing for the 119th Congress. Democrats have consistently made clear that we are ready, willing and able to find bipartisan common ground with the incoming administration on any issue, particularly as it relates to driving down the high cost of living for everyday Americans, which we must tackle together and decisively, while at the same period of time we’ve made clear that we will push back against far-right extremism whenever necessary.

It has become increasingly apparent that many of my House Republican colleagues want to jam big tax cuts for the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected down the throats of the American people and try to pay for those tax cuts, which will not benefit everyday Americans, by cutting Social Security and Medicare. This is not a hypothetical. It’s not hype. It’s not hyperbole. It’s happening before our very eyes because extreme MAGA Republicans in the House are telling us, publicly and repeatedly, that’s exactly what they plan to do to the American people. House Democrats are clear we will oppose any effort to end Social Security and Medicare as we know it. There is no mandate to take that type of aggressive action that will hurt working-class Americans. And the American people will reject it and House Democrats will work hard to stop it.

Full press conference can be watched here.