Chairman Aguilar: The American people want Democrats and Republicans to work together
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and Vice Chair Ted Lieu held a press conference on the urgent need for bipartisan government funding legislation over the next 16 days and tax cuts for working families in the 119th Congress.
CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Good morning. We're 16 days away from government funding running out. Negotiations between House and Senate leaders are underway, and our Caucus has complete and total trust in Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro as she proceeds down this path.
We're ready to pass a government funding bill with no drama, no partisan policy riders and no surprises. We want to see urgent disaster aid to communities that need it, and we want to pass a defense bill that strengthens military readiness. We can do all of these things if Republicans roll up their sleeves and work with us.
House Democrats are eager to extend the hand of bipartisanship today and in the new year. In the next Congress, we want to work with Republicans to cut taxes for working families and make the tax code more fair. But we're not going to be able to find common ground if the only solution that Republicans propose is to cut taxes for billionaires and big corporations that they previously cut taxes for to explode the deficit.
The American people want us to work together, and that requires Republicans tuning out the most extreme voices. Republicans do not have a mandate to chase the most extreme voices in their conference. They have a mandate from the American people to work with us, to make their lives better.
VICE CHAIR LIEU: Thank you, Chairman Aguilar.
The Associated Press has called California's 13th District for Adam Gray. I want to welcome Adam Gray to the House Democratic Caucus and to Congress. We will have more Democrats next term than we do have this term. So, Democrats gained seats in the House of Representatives.
As of right now, Donald Trump is at less than 50 percent of the popular vote. As Chairman Aguilar said, Republicans do not have a mandate, the incoming president does not have a mandate. We look forward to working with the incoming Administration on ideas and policies that will help the American people. But if they overreach, that is not what the American people voted for, or asked for, and we urge Republicans not to overreach.
Video of the full press conference and Q&A can be viewed here.
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