June 29, 2021

CHAIRMAN JEFFRIES: “WE’VE BEEN FOCUSED ON STRENGTHENING THE ECONOMY AND CREATING PROSPERITY AND OPPORTUNITY IN EVERY SINGLE ZIP CODE”

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 highlighted the transformational impact that President Biden’s infrastructure package will have on everyday Americans as well as House Democrats’ commitment to defending our democracy in the wake of the January 6 attack on the Capitol. 

CHAIRMAN JEFFRIES: Since the very beginning of the new Congress, House Democrats have been focused on several items of great importance to the American people. Crushing the virus. We've been focused on providing direct relief and assistance to everyday Americans who are strugglingWe've been focused on strengthening the economy and creating prosperity and opportunity in every single zip code. Of course, we've also been focused on defending our democracy, particularly in the aftermath of the January 6 violent insurrection.

This week, we'll be leaning in to several of those areas, including our effort to strengthen the economy by passing the INVEST in America Act, led, of course, by Chairman Peter DeFazio of the Transportation and Infrastructure committee, as well as Frank Pallone of the Energy and Commerce Committee, to reauthorize our investment in surface transportation, as well as begin to move in the direction of green, sustainable and resilient investments for the 21st century economy. 

We also, of course, will move tomorrow to authorize the select committee with respect to investigating the January 6 violent insurrection and attack on the Capitol, incited by the former twice-impeached President of the United States of America and continuously encouraged by several Members of the radical Republican House Conference. We hope to be able to get to the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth with respect to the events of January 6. What happened that fateful day, why it happened and how do we prevent that type of violent assault on the Capitol, the Congress and the Constitution from ever happening again

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VICE CHAIR AGUILAR: As the Chairman mentioned, we are pleased to be able to advance the INVEST in America Act. This is our first step in helping to rebuild our country's infrastructure and by supporting hundreds of thousands of good paying jobs by doing that, with a focus toward addressing climate change and toward building back our communities. Those are the focuses of this week. We look forward to that work. We want to lift up and thank Chairman DeFazio and Chairman Pallone for their respective committee work in helping us get here and through the work of this bipartisan legislation that Chairman DeFazio pushed forward with the suggestions of Members of both sides of the aisle, that legislation was advanced. We will carry that forward and we will be mindful of the investments that it's going to make. 

We also want to reiterate that July 15, families in all of our communities, in the Chairman's district, in my district, can expect to see direct payments through the child tax credit. This is so helpful in lifting families out of poverty. This is the Social Security for our children and this is so helpful to all of us. It's going to be something that House Democrats advance and talk about as we go home and after we celebrate our nation's Independence Day. We know, when our families succeed, our communities thrive and so this is an effort, the child tax credit, in order to help continue those investments. 

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Video of the full press conference and Q&A can be viewed here.