LEADER JEFFRIES: “THIS RECKLESS REPUBLICAN-DRIVEN SHUTDOWN CAN BE AVOIDED IF HOUSE REPUBLICANS WILL SIMPLY DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE”

Washington, DC – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar held a press conference to highlight that while Democrats and Republicans reached an agreement to fund the government, House Republicans are following orders to shut down the government and hurt the American people. 

LEADER JEFFRIES: Good morning. House Democrats met earlier today, and we are resolved to continue to stand up for the best interests of the American people. House Democrats, House Republicans, Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans reached a bipartisan agreement to fund the government, prevent a shutdown and meet the needs of the American people. We reached a bipartisan agreement that will help farmers, families, the future of working-class Americans, children, seniors, veterans and the men and women in uniform all across the nation and the world. That bipartisan agreement has now been detonated because House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government and hurt the very working-class Americans that many of them pretend to want to help.

This is a moment that’s not about the incoming president. It’s not about millionaires and billionaires. It’s about the harm that House Republicans will do to the American people if the government shuts down. Families will be hurt. Farmers will be hurt. Everyday Americans whose lives were turned upside down by extreme weather events like hurricanes and floods and wildfires will be hurt if they don’t get the relief that they need and deserve to improve their quality of life. If the government shuts down, holiday travel will be impacted. The ability of everyday Americans to visit their family, their friends, their loved ones will be impacted. Border security and border patrol agents will not be paid. TSA agents will not be paid. Small businesses will be hurt in every single community in this country. This reckless Republican-driven shutdown can be avoided if House Republicans will simply do what is right for the American people and stick with the bipartisan agreement that they themselves negotiated.