The Greene County Democrat

Tag: Sen. Cory Booker and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries lead Democrats in sit-in on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to speak against expected GOP budget cuts

  • Newswire : Republicans Shutdown Government

    By April Ryan. NNPA White House Corespondent

    Democrats and Republicans are both pointing fingers, saying the shutdown is the other party’s fault. The government shutdown means that money has stopped flowing, and there is no continuing resolution to continue the funding for the government.

    Republicans are in charge of the House, Senate, and White House and do not want to open borders or focus on healthcare to expand the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Firings are expected after an Office of Management and Budget memo during this shutdown, with no end in sight. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries went on social media after midnight, saying, “Democrats are on duty, ready to sit down with anyone, any time, and at any place to reopen the federal government and pass a spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people.”

    However, Jeffries chastises Republicans, saying they are not a “credible partner” right now. He goes on to say,” We will not support a partisan republican spending bill that guts the healthcare of the American people. Not now! Not ever! In a statement, the Congressional Black Caucus emphasized” Today, our country is facing a crisis entirely of the Republican Party’s making and, unfortunately, Black communities will be forced to bear the brunt of their political games.”
    During the 2018-2019 shutdown, the longest government shutdown in the nation’s history, the Postal Service, Medicare, and Social Security payments continued. Still, according to reports, some SSA services could be impacted during this shutdown. Federal courts, border security, disaster aid, banks, air traffic control, federal law-enforcement agencies, prison staff, the Secret Service, and the Coast Guard remain open.
    Due to the shutdown, the National Museum of African American History and Culture posted on Instagram that it will remain open until October 6th, using existing funding to stay open until Monday.

    When it comes to airports, TSA agents are working without pay. However, once the government reopens and funding is flowing, TSA workers will receive their pay retroactively. Airports around the nation have had to delay planes because of the lack of air traffic controllers on certain days and times. Also, the nation’s veterans will receive health insurance during the shutdown from Veterans Affairs.

  • Newswire : Sen. Cory Booker and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries lead Democrats in sit-in on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to speak against expected GOP budget cuts

    By Lauren Burke and Stacy M. Brown
    NNPA Newswire Reporters


    Sen. Booker and Leader Jeffries conduct sit-in on steps of U. S. Capitol in Washington, D. C.
    In a show of solidarity against the congressional Republicans and the Trump Administration, dozens of congressional Democratic members of Congress gathered on the steps of the U.S. House of Representatives from sunrise to sunset Sunday, April 27 to speak out against budget cuts.
    “The budget is a moral document,” said New Jersey Senator Cory Booker as he sat wearing a black shirt and pants next to the Democratic leader in the U.S. House, Brooklyn Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. The two started with only Senator Chris Coons of Delaware at 7:30 am on Sunday. As the day moved forward many other members, advocates, and curious onlookers joined them in support of their effort to bring attention to what may be a historic budget in terms of cuts to social programs.
    Throughout the day, lawmakers took turns sharing personal stories and reading testimonies from constituents whose lives have been transformed by government assistance. But since Trump took office for his second term in January, his focus has been on cutting the federal government and the jobs and programs associated that assist millions of Americans. “I was on the steps of the Capitol with Leader Jeffries, Sen. Booker, and many others to make the case for what’s at stake with Trump’s budget. Medicaid, food assistance, and social security. It’s all on the line. A moral moment” wrote Senator Amy Klobuchar, who may lead the Democrats as the next Leader of the Party in the U.S. Senate after the criticism of the leadership of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and the retirement announcement of Senator Dick Durbin on April 23.
    Jeffries warned that the proposed cuts would devastate seniors, families, and vulnerable communities. “Republicans are crashing the economy in real-time,” he said. “Now, they want to jam a reckless budget down the throats of the American people that will end Medicaid as we know it, destroy Social Security, and rip food from the mouths of children, seniors, and veterans. As Democrats, we’re going to continue to stand on the side of the American people and we will not rest until we bury this reckless Republican budget in the ground.”
    Throughout the day, figures such as American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, civil rights attorney Maya Wiley, Rev. William Barber II, and others joined the sit-in. Senators Chris Coons, Raphael Warnock, Angela Alsobrooks, Lisa Blunt Rochester, and Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, Sarah McBride, Mark Takano, Tom Suozzi, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Steven Horsford, Suhas Subramanyam, Emily Randall, Sarah Elfreth, and Delegate Stacey Plaskett also participated.
    Wiley shared personal stories of Americans who would suffer under the proposed cuts. “The cuts, when we’re talking about cuts, people bleed and we should put names behind them,” Wiley said. “You know, Sarah in South Dakota had a son who had seizures one to five times a day and had to quit her job to try to save her son. It is Medicaid that helps pay for her health care to do that. Or Jasmine in Alabama, in Tuscaloosa, with two kids, who was taking care of other people’s children when she fell and became disabled, and it’s Medicaid that was taking care of her.” Booker said Democrats must move beyond “business as usual” and find new ways to confront injustice. “We can’t keep doing things like business as usual,” he said. “Speaking out and speaking up is how we will convince at least four Republicans in the House and Senate to do the right thing and vote no.”.