TRANSCRIPT: LEADER JEFFRIES INTRODUCES PRESIDENT BIDEN AT THE 2024 HOUSE DEMOCRATIC ISSUES CONFERENCE

Press Conference

Good afternoon House Democrats. To Chairman Aguilar-- good afternoon House Democrats. So good to see all of you. To Chairman Aguilar, Vice Chair Lieu, Whip Clark, Speaker Emerita Pelosi, all of my amazing Democratic colleagues in the House, it's a high honor and a distinct privilege to have this opportunity to present someone who really needs no introduction. President Biden is a good man who's been working hard to make life better for everyday Americans and together we will finish the job.

Now, these are challenging times and we're working together, to address issues of concern to the American people related to the economy and housing affordability, national security, public safety and, of course, our challenges at the border. But let me be clear, because of the leadership of President Biden working with House Democrats and our colleagues in the Senate, we have made real progress on behalf of the American people through the lens of: how it started versus how it's going. How it started versus how it's going.

When Joe Biden first took office, he inherited a once-in-a-century COVID-19 pandemic that shut everything down. Because of the leadership of President Biden, working with House Democrats, we put shots in arms, money in pockets, kids back in school and now, the American people have the freedom to spend time with their families without being masked up or sheltering in place.

When President Biden first took office in Washington, D.C. it had been Infrastructure Week every other week, but nothing got done until President Biden showed up. Because of the leadership of President Biden working with House Democrats, we are finally fixing our crumbling bridges, roads, tunnels, our airports, our water systems, our sewer systems, our mass transportation systems. And now, high-speed internet access is available to millions of Americans for $30 less a month.

"When President Biden first took office, the American people were understandably dismayed, were uncertain about the prospects of ever being able to do something about the gun violence epidemic in the United States of America. Because of the leadership of President Joe Biden working with House Democrats, we passed gun safety legislation for the first time in 30 years that will save lives and lay the foundation for us to do more. How it started versus how it's going.

When President Biden first took office, there were millions of veterans, who had served this country, suffering from brutal exposure to burn pits, toxic substances and Agent Orange, and were without access to adequate health care. Because of the leadership of President Joe Biden, working with House Democrats, there are now more than four million veterans in the United States of America who have access to the health care that they need to live a life of dignity and respect. How it started versus how it's going.

When President Joe Biden first took office, the country, the world being ravaged by extreme weather events like hurricanes, powerful storms, wildfires and floods. And many Americans, particularly younger ones, uncertain about whether anything would ever be done to change the situation. Because of the leadership of President Joe Biden, working with House Democrats, we invested -- in the largest way in the history of the world -- in combating the climate crisis, to turn the situation around and ensure there will be clean water, clean air and clean energy in every single community.

Can I give you one more? Can I give you one more? When Joe Biden first took office, the cost of insulin for the average American family was $4,000 a year. Because of the leadership of President Joe Biden, working with House Democrats, the cost of insulin right now for millions of Americans is $35 a month. How it started versus how it's going.

Under the leadership of President Joe Biden we have made tremendous progress here in the United States of America. Joe Biden is a compassionate public servant, a skilled leader, the comeback kid who is helping the American turnaround story. We know that President Joe Biden is a man with a plan to finish the job on behalf of the American people. And so it is my honor to present to you the 46th President of the United States of America, the Honorable Joseph Robinette Biden."

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