LEADER JEFFRIES: "EXTREME MAGA REPUBLICANS ARE RISKING A CATASTROPHIC DEFAULT"

Press Release

Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held his weekly press conference where he recapped his recent CODEL to Ghana and Israel and highlighted that while House Democrats are continuing to put People Over Politics, extreme MAGA Republicans are attempting to hold our economy hostage.

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Leader Jeffries Speaking at Weekly Press Conference

LEADER JEFFRIES: This week, I was able to return from my first congressional delegation trip, that I led to Ghana and to Israel. It was a delegation that broadly reflected the House Democratic Caucus, including the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, the top Democrat on the Middle Eastern subcommittee, the top Democrat on the Africa subcommittee, as well as the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, several other members of the Congressional Black Caucus and several Jewish members of the House Democratic Caucus, broadly reflecting the diversity of what House Democrats represent. We had a wonderful meeting with President Akufo-Addo in Ghana, to talk about our shared commitment to democracy throughout the country and the challenges that democracies are confronting. We thanked the President for his close partnership with the United States on the UN Security Council. Also discussed several of the regional security concerns that exist with respect to coastal West Africa. We also, as a delegation, had an opportunity to visit the Cape Coast slave castles in Ghana, and it was a very moving opportunity to revisit some of the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade, but also use it as an opportunity to have discussions with the people of Ghana about how we emerge from that history to build a better world for everyone.

We also had an opportunity to have several substantive meetings in Israel with President Herzog, Prime Minister Netanyahu, Opposition Leader Lapid and other members of the government, including the Speaker of the Knesset about, one, our continued strong commitment to making sure that Israel remains a vibrant, safe and secure Jewish democratic state and our continued commitment to the shared values related to democracy and what that has represented in terms of the special relationship that we have between our two countries. We, of course, discussed issues such as stopping Iran from becoming nuclear capable, prospects for a two state solution, building upon the Abraham Accords -- how do we create a better environment for peace in a very difficult neighborhood -- and we also discussed the judicial reform proposals that have created a lot of controversy in Israel. And we've simply said that we're hopeful that common ground can be found in a manner that respects and protects the independence of the judiciary as well as the rule of law. And these were principles that every single one of the leaders we met with agreed should be operating principles, in terms of trying to find common ground.

This week in Washington, D.C., we've seen House Republicans, once again, stake out an extreme position. Which is to risk a catastrophic and dangerous default that would potentially trigger a job-killing recession and cost the American people millions of good-paying jobs, crash the stock market in a way that will hurt and undermine the retirement security of millions of older Americans and also send costs skyrocketing through the roof in a way that will hurt the economic well-being of everyday Americans.

America should always pay her bills. Period. Full stop. We've never defaulted, in the history of this country, in a manner that is being contemplated by extreme MAGA Republicans in the House of Representatives that will hurt the economy, hurt industry, hurt small businesses, and hurt everyday Americans. House Democrats worked with former President Trump three times to make sure we avoided a default and raise the debt ceiling without partisanship, without showmanship, without gamesmanship and that's what the extreme MAGA Republicans should be doing right now. And as we've indicated, we will have a conversation with House Republicans about the budget, about future spending priorities, about which type of investments should be made to continue to have a strong and robust American economy into the future. We are willing to have that conversation. President Biden has produced a budget. House Republicans produced a ransom note. That is what the Default on America Act is and that is wildly irresponsible.

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