Jeffries says he has confidence in Schumer going forward
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) should remain at the top of the party ranks despite the outcry over his support for a GOP spending bill last week.
In the hours leading up to that vote, Jeffries had declined to weigh in on Schumer’s leadership chops. But speaking Tuesday at an event in Brooklyn, N.Y., Jeffries didn’t hesitate when asked if he thinks Schumer should keep his leadership seat.
“Yes,” Jeffries said. “Yes, I do.”
The remarks were significant given separate public remarks Jeffries had made Friday on Capitol Hill. As the Senate considered the GOP funding legislation that day, Jeffries replied "next question" when asked if Senate Democrats needed new leaders.
House Democrats have been up in arms since Thursday, when Schumer announced he would help Republicans pass their spending bill and avert a government shutdown by providing the votes necessary to advance the legislation against a filibuster.
The bill was written by GOP leaders without Democratic input, and House Democrats had warned that the partisan bill would harm vulnerable Americans. They had staged a fierce public lobbying campaign trying to pressure Schumer and Senate Democrats to reverse course and use the filibuster to kill the bill, after all but one House Democrat voted against the legislation.
Instead, Schumer, eight other Senate Democrats and one independent joined with Republicans to advance the legislation. The decision sparked an outcry from liberal Democrats on and off Capitol Hill, some of whom have questioned if Schumer should remain the party’s leader in the upper chamber.
Jeffries on Tuesday defended the position of House Democrats in opposing the spending bill, saying it would hurt low- and working-class Americans nationwide. They were ready to put the blame on the majority Republicans if the government did shut down.
“It was written by Donald Trump and House Republicans, [it] would hurt families, hurt veterans, and hurt seniors,” he said. “It would cut health care, cut veterans' benefits, and cut nutritional assistance from children and families all across America. ... So that was not an acceptable thing for us.”
Despite the chamber differences on the spending bill, however, Jeffries said he’s ready to turn the page, noting that House and Senate Democrats are in lockstep when it comes to the next partisan battle facing Congress: the fight over President Trump’s tax, immigration, health care and energy wish list, which is expected to hit the floor in the coming months.
As a preview of that clash, Republicans already passed the budget blueprint that will govern the Republican legislation. Every Democrat in both chambers voted against it, and Jeffries said he spoke with Schumer on Sunday and left the conversation confident that the chambers are on the same page in their unanimous opposition to Trump’s agenda.
Central to that opposition is the GOP’s plans for Medicaid, which Democrats are warning will eliminate health care access for millions of patients, many of them children, seniors or people with disabilities. On Tuesday, House Democrats are staging a “day of action” designed to highlight those cuts ahead of the coming debate in the Capitol.
Jeffries said he and Schumer "had a good conversation about the path forward, particularly as it relates to making sure we all speak with one voice in the effort to stop these Medicaid cuts from ever being enacted into law.”
“Senate Democrats have been very clear they're partnering with House Democrats to stop these cuts from ever taking effect,” he continued. “It's inhumane what the Republicans are trying to do, and we're going to expose their scheme all across the country. It's a scheme to jam these massive tax cuts down the throats of the American people for their billionaire donors and wealthy corporations who don't need it. And then they want working class Americans to pay the bill by robbing working-class Americans of their health care.
“We will not let it happen.”
Topics
-
Jeffries mum on confidence in Schumer
House Democratic leaders are staying mum on their assessment of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) amid the uproar over his support for advancing a controversial Republican spending ...The Hill - 4d -
Jeffries: Schumer and I agree on 'overwhelming majority of issues'
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) downplayed any disunity between him and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), saying Sunday that they agree on the “overwhelming majority of ...The Hill - 1d -
Charlamagne tha God: Schumer, Jeffries should step down
Radio host Charlamagne tha God on Friday slammed Democrats leadership in Congress, calling for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to ...The Hill - 3d -
Schumer defends funding vote: 'I'm the best leader for the Senate'
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday defended his vote on the yearlong spending bill last week and his spot atop the Senate Democratic caucus, maintaining that he has no plans ...The Hill - 6h -
Chuck Schumer says he won't block Republican funding bill amid Democratic divisions over shutdown strategy
WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NNBC News - 4d -
Watch live: Jeffries speaks as Senate Democrats face funding bill vote
House Democratic leaders are slated to hold a press conference as their counterparts in the Senate face down a nail-biter vote on government funding. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) ...The Hill - 4d -
Schumer postpones book tour after backlash for supporting GOP funding bill
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has postponed his book tour over security concerns. The decision comes just days after he faced opposition from his party for supporting the Republican spending ...CBS News - 22h -
Sen. Chris Murphy says he supports Chuck Schumer as leader but Democrats must change tactics
Sen. Chris Murphy says he still has confidence in Minority Leader Chuck Schumer but Democrats must change tactics in combatting Trump's agendaNBC News - 2d -
Murphy backs Schumer's leadership but says caucus must 'change our tactics' to be effective
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) backed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) leadership on Sunday but said the caucus "must change our tactics" to be effective. “I still support Senator ...The Hill - 2d
More from The Hill
-
Democrat on Trump-Putin call: 'Russia remains the obstacle to peace'
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said it's clear that Russia "remains the obstacle to peace" following a highly anticipated phone call between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on ...The Hill - 44m -
Trump, Putin agree on limited ceasefire in Ukraine
PRESIDENT TRUMP and Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to make progress on a limited ceasefire agreement in Ukraine during a lengthy phone call on Tuesday that the White House says is the ...The Hill - 47m -
Kentucky lawmakers pass legislation removing conversion therapy restrictions
Kentucky lawmakers passed a measure Friday seeking to protect the controversial practice known as conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth, repealing an executive order from Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear ...The Hill - 1h -
Democrats ask Trump to remove Patel as acting ATF director
A group of Democrats are calling on President Trump to remove FBI Director Kash Patel as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Fourteen Democratic ...The Hill - 1h -
Democrats push back on plans to use military installations as migrant detention centers
Democratic lawmakers are pushing back against Trump administration plans to detain thousands of immigrants living in the country illegally at U.S. military sites. In a letter signed by nine ...The Hill - 1h
More in Politics
-
Democrat on Trump-Putin call: 'Russia remains the obstacle to peace'
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said it's clear that Russia "remains the obstacle to peace" following a highly anticipated phone call between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on ...The Hill - 44m -
Trump, Putin agree on limited ceasefire in Ukraine
PRESIDENT TRUMP and Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to make progress on a limited ceasefire agreement in Ukraine during a lengthy phone call on Tuesday that the White House says is the ...The Hill - 47m -
Kornacki: White men, white women and the gap within the gender gap
NBC News National Political Correspondent Steve Kornacki digs into a NBC News poll that shows divisions along race and gender lines in how the American electorate views DEI initiatives and more.NBC News - 54m -
Kentucky lawmakers pass legislation removing conversion therapy restrictions
Kentucky lawmakers passed a measure Friday seeking to protect the controversial practice known as conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth, repealing an executive order from Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear ...The Hill - 1h -
Trump must understand Putin ‘respects strength’ during talks over Ukraine war: Fmr. Amb. to Russia
Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul discusses the call between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin and what talks could mean for the end of the war in Ukraine.NBC News - 1h