Washington, DC – Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer held a press conference where they highlighted legislative proposals to push back against the dangerous far-right actions that the Trump administration and congressional Republicans are unleashing on the American people.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Democrats are always, always ready, willing and able to work with anyone to find the common ground necessary to solve problems on behalf of hardworking American taxpayers, particularly as it relates to driving down the high cost of living. We understand that America is too expensive. There are far too many hardworking American taxpayers struggling to live paycheck to paycheck. Housing costs are too high. Grocery costs are too high. Childcare costs are too high. Insurance costs are too high. Utility costs are too high. America is too expensive. Democrats are committed to driving down the high cost of living for working-class Americans, middle-class Americans and everyday Americans all across the land. Our Republican colleagues are not serious about lowering the high cost of living. They’ve done nothing, introduced not a single bill, not put forth a single policy proposal. They’ve done nothing as it relates to lowering the high cost of living.

At the same time, they are raiding the government, attempting to steal taxpayer money. That’s what the situation at the Treasury Department is all about. We will introduce the Stop the Steal Act in short order to prevent unlawful access with respect to the Department of Treasury’s payment system connected to people who are trying to steal personal, sensitive and confidential information related to Social Security recipients, Medicare recipients, taxpayers, businesses, not-for-profits, veterans and everyday Americans. It’s unacceptable, unconscionable and un-American. Stop the Steal Act will prevent this unlawful access from taking place.

It’s unfortunate that many of our Republican colleagues are determined to stand up a shadow government of the billionaires, by the billionaires and for the billionaires that will stick it to the American people. That’s what’s driving much of the behavior on the other side of the aisle. Because at the end of the day, my House Republican colleagues are determined to pass massive tax cuts for their billionaire donors and wealthy corporations and then stick working-class Americans with the bill by doing things like ending Medicaid as we know it. We won’t stand for it. We will push back against it. And because we’re confident that the American people are on our side, we will stop it.

Full press conference can be watched here. 

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