CHAIRMAN JEFFRIES ON THE FIRST 100 DAYS: “THINGS ARE GETTING DONE THAT ARE TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE”
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Vice Chair Pete Aguilar (D-CA) held a leadership press conference where they outlined how House Democrats have delivered for the American people during the first 100 days of the 117th Congress by passing critical, lifesaving legislation, including the historic American Rescue Plan.
CHAIRMAN JEFFRIES: The last few weeks for the district work period, we had an extensive amount of engagement with the American people talking about the work that has been done on their behalf during our first 100 days or so in office working with President Biden, Vice President Harris as well as the Senate Democratic majority. Leadership matters. Elections have consequences. Because the American people saw fit to ensure that Democrats had governing majorities in the House and the Senate working alongside a Democratic president, things are getting done that are transformational for the American people.
The American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion intervention, provides extraordinary help because we are in the midst of an extraordinary once-in-a-century pandemic. The American people widely support the American Rescue Plan because they know that it provides the relief necessary for us to make it through this storm and to emerge stronger as we Build Back Better on the other side. It is the centerpiece of our accomplishments during the first 100 days but it is not the only thing that House Democrats have done as we continue to legislate aggressively on behalf of the American people as part of our effort to march toward a more perfect union.
There is a lot happening in the country, a lot happening in the Congress, but we remain focused on trying to deliver in real and meaningful ways and we look forward to working with President Biden on the American Jobs Plan to invest in our crumbling bridges, roads, tunnels, airports, mass transit system, as well as create and preserve affordable housing, modernize our public schools and ensure that there's broadband access throughout America, including in inner city America, rural America, small town America and Appalachia, which are at risk of being left behind in a 21st century innovation economy.
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VICE CHAIR AGUILAR: I wanted to start by extending our condolences from the House Democratic Caucus to the family of Officer Billy Evans, who gave his life defending this institution, our temple of democracy. As a parent, I thought about those images yesterday of his kids consoling their mother, his widow, and I was deeply, deeply moved by it. We've all witnessed tragedy over the past weekend in Minnesota as well, where Daunte Wright, an unarmed Black man, was wrongfully killed by a police officer. The fact is, we need police reform. The House passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This is lifesaving legislation that the Senate should take up immediately.
Monday marked the 100th day of the 117th Congress, as the Chairman mentioned, and I'm proud of the progress that we have made so far. In our first 100 days, we passed the Equality Act to ensure full equality under the law for our LGBT community. We removed the ratification deadline for the Equal Rights Amendment to extend that same equality to all American women. We passed the Dream and Promise Act, giving young immigrants who call our country home a chance to make their lives here. We took meaningful and lifesaving action to prevent gun violence and further tragedies. We also passed the American Rescue Plan, the most important and most ambitious investment in the American people in nearly a century.
I'm so proud of what this Caucus has achieved. The Chairman and I were on a call and Members were detailing the conversations that they were having with constituents back home. We're pleased to tout the story of the American Rescue Plan and what it means to our communities.
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Video of the full press conference and Q&A can be viewed here.
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