House Democratic Leader Jeffries rebukes Congress on abandoning its bipartisan funding plan

December 20, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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CAPITOL HILL — HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES on Thursday evening, Dec. 19, rebuked Congress for reneging on a bipartisan bill that would have funded the U.S. government for another three months. Jeffries (D-08), whose home district stretches from Bedford-Stuyvesant to Sea Gate, accused House Republicans of being reckless in conceding to the demands of President-elect Donald Trump and his billionaire ally, Elon Musk.

Jeffries, in urging his colleagues to vote no on a bill to incorporate changes wanted by Trump and Musk, said, “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… House Republicans have abandoned that bipartisan agreement that we entered into in good faith. A bill that House Republicans negotiated, gave us your word that we were going to move forward together on behalf of the American people. It was a Republican-drafted bill that was posted by House Republicans.”

Jeffries added, “Now, what’s been interesting to me is that for decades, the Republican Party has lectured America about fiscal responsibility, about the debt and the deficit. It’s always been phony. This bill proves it…In our nation’s 248 year history, 25% of our nation’s debt was accumulated during the four years of the former president. 25%. How dare you lecture America about fiscal responsibility ever.”

Jeffries described as “cruelty” the cuts being made from funding of community centers and nutritional programs for children, as well as programs to help families detect cancer.